The Hunger Games: Peeta's Perspective
by quintessence23
Summary: The entire Hunger Games book in Peeta's perspective. Because I've always wanted to read what's going on in the head of the boy with the bread.
1. The Reaping

Chapter 1 – The Reaping

PEETA

* * *

_**Disclaimer:** I have always wondered and hoped for Peeta's side of the story, thinking that his head would give a more romantic side to it. The story in itself is based on Suzanne Collins' novel. I created Peeta's perspective based on the entire book, so there will obviously be similar lines._

* * *

I wake up with a start; half-dazed, half-expecting my mother's shrill voice to wake me from oblivion. Oddly enough, it didn't come, and that's when I remembered that this day may be an exception to our normal routine.

My family lives because of the bread we make. We are not exactly rich – our hunger is satisfied only by the stale food or bad bread that none of the customers would even bother to look at – but still, we are better off compared to the people in the Seam. On an ordinary day, my mornings begin with my mother pestering me to wake up, gather ingredients in the market (which involves carrying a hundred-pound load of flour), and assist my father in baking.

Oftentimes, I would see her and her little sister on the street outside our shop – just staring at the cakes I've decorated. This gives me a sense of pride, particularly because this is the one thing that I can do really well. She may not know it, but ever since I was a small boy, I've had this huge admiration for her. Katniss Everdeen: the girl from the Seam who looks radiant even with the troubles that life has given her.

I sigh. My adoration for her is a lost cause; that I have decided years ago. Apart from the cakes that she and her sister, Prim, come to adore, there is no other part of me that she even noticed. So I channel all my feelings into my work; and I do what I can to excel in it. This in itself is the reason why I am able to gather the energy to wake up each day and face my mother's demanding voice.

Today, though, I am given the liberty to stay in bed a little later than usual, but out of habit (or nervousness, maybe?). I got off the bed and proceeded to take a bath. My mother has gone off to the market herself (as one of her rare moments of kindness) to relive me and my brothers of our duties. Just when I'm about to take my breakfast, a knock in our back door startles me.

I knew who it was, of course. My father had been trading with them for years now, and they sort of have an unspoken agreement to do these trades without my mother. Of course, this will be impossible with her in the room. I look up in time to see my father open the door to Gale Hawthorne, Katniss' hunting partner… and my mortal enemy (in my mind, that is).

"Good morning, Gale," I hear my father say.

"Good morning, Sir." Gale replied. There's a certain huskiness to it, and I find myself imagining his days with Katniss while they are alone in the woods to hunt. "Would you care for a trade? I only have one squirrel, though."

"Oh that's fine. Here, take this loaf of bread."

Gale looks at the bread incredulously. I am certain that he was not expecting this: my father is a very nice man, but to trade one squirrel for a whole loaf seems very surprising to him. "Are you sure? But I don't have anything else to give you. If Katniss and I would be able to get more game later, I promise to give you some of it."

My father laughs. "Oh, that is not necessary. Take the whole loaf – you need your stomachs full for later."

Gale nods, deciding, maybe, that the reaping can make people closer and nicer. "Well, thanks. Good luck to your sons." He said before leaving our door and heading to the path towards the woods.

"That's a nice trade, dad." I said, hoping that it would hide the scowl on my face from thoughts of Gale and Katniss.

"Well son, everybody deserves to have something to smile about today. At least, before the clock strikes 2."

I nodded, understanding the ordeal that we all have to face later. Every year, the Capitol picks one girl and one boy from every district to become "tributes" for the Hunger Games, which is our penalty for the revolution that happened 74 years ago. I am on the safer side compared to other teens from 12 to 18 years old. Having no need to sign of for tesserae, I only have 5 slips of paper on that round ball. Compare that to what people from the Seam (who signs up for tesserae every year), and the odds that they will be picked are definitely higher. But that still doesn't mean that I'm immune.

* * *

My older brother is lucky enough not to be picked. I am hoping that his luck will be passed on to me; but at the same time, I'm also hoping for something else: Katniss' safety from the reaping.

I nervously waited until a few minutes before 2 and we all have to go to the square. I joined the other boys my age and waited for the entire program to start. I craned my head from side to side, hoping to get a glimpse of her, and I am not disappointed. From where I stood, I can see her face, lost in thought, and I wondered if she's as nervous as I am. Probably more so, because surely her name will be in that ball more times than mine. But, seeing her eyes squint at the direction of the 12 year olds, I had a distinct feeling that she is more worried for her sister.

When the mayor and Effie Trinket, District 12's tribute escort, come to the stage, the feeling of dread started to creep further. The mayor began to read the history of the Hunger Games at exactly 2 pm, and I stare blankly in front. If Katniss' name will be picked today, there's no way I would be able to hold on to my sanity for the next few weeks, knowing that she will be in harm's way. And thinking of all the other tributes from 11 other districts who are bent on killing her for them to be crowned as victor makes my blood boil in rage. No, it can't happen to her, I thought.

The program is advancing way too fast, and soon enough, the camera crews are zooming in one Effie and the two large bowls containing our names. When I heard her say "Ladies first!" in her bubbly voice, the muscles in my whole body tightened, and a chant formed in my brain. Not her, not her, not her.

And it wasn't her. It's her sister – Primrose Everdeen – and I catch sight of the little girl who admired my cake decorations walking slowly towards the stage. A hushed murmur for this injustice goes through the crowd. It's dreadful enough for two people from each district to be taken against our will to fight to the death in Capitol. For what? For their entertainment, I thought.

I grimaced as I caught sight of Katniss who is now gripped by another boy to keep her steady. This must be devastating for her, I realized. After a few seconds, she seemed to snap back to reality, and a voice loud enough for everybody to hear, she shouted her sister's name. "Prim! Prim!"

Just then, she started making her way to the stage before her sister could mount the stage. "I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" she shouted, and I can see the confusion and surprise in the people on stage. I gulped; this is far worse than I had expected. It's like my nightmares had come to life, and at this moment, seeing the one girl who caught my eye since 5, I felt hatred. For the Capitol.

* * *

This can't be happening. If this is a nightmare, please, I need to wake up. Now.

I wanted to rush to her, to protect her from the dangers that the forthcoming weeks will bring, and briefly I wished to be there beside her. But I knew that if I will be picked to be at the arena, I don't stand a chance. Someone like me – who only knows how to make frostings on cakes – will easily be taken down by the other, more experienced fighters.

Prim is now screaming, telling her sister that she can't go. I watched, frozen, as Gale picked up Prim and brought her to her mother. What is he thinking now? Will he volunteer to be with her in the arena? To protect her? It has to be in his thoughts, I can see how this turn of events is wrecking havoc in his brain and how he's almost in tears. .

Katniss has reached the stage and is now standing beside Effie. There is no turning back now. "What's your name?" Effie asks.

"Katniss Everdeen." She said, in a low voice, which I think she's trying to keep steady.

"I bet my buttons that was your sister. Don't want her to steal all the glory, do we? Come on, everybody, let's give a big round of applause to our newest tribute!" Efife says.

I wondered idly that I will come to hate anyone who would clap for this – for Katniss, who will be pushed into an arena where she can so easily die. Miraculously, no one even attempts to do so, and silence crept up the entire square. Then I saw it: people were raising the three middle fingers of their left hand to their lips and holds it up high in the air. A symbol of admiration, and symbolic way of saying goodbye to someone you care about.

I felt a stabbing pain in my chest. Surely, Katniss can stand a chance, right? She's a hunter, a very good one, except that the others, especially those from districts 1, 2, and 4, are also good fighters.

Just then, Haymitch Abernathy, one of the two victors from our district (the other one died already) came up to Katness. "Look at her! Look at this one!" he said, while keeping his arms around her shoulders. "I like her! Lots of spunk! More than you! More than you! " he shouted, before falling head-first on the stage.

I saw her open her mouth slightly and see fear cross her eyes before she composed herself again. She's trying to look strong for the cameras, I thought. The look of fear on her face confirmed my worst thoughts: that she may be acknowledging her slim chance of winning. And how strong is she, really, against other fighters who are well-fed and trained for this event? She can't die in that arena, not yet, I haven't even worked up the nerve to talk to her. I cringe and felt the desire to protect her ripple through me.

"What an exciting day!" Effie trills. Then she walked over to the boys' ball. "But more excitement to come! It's time to choose our boy tribute!"

I can't make myself focus, my thoughts were focused entirely on Katniss. Watching her every breath. Thinking this could be the last time I may see her in person… if I don't get picked, that is.

"Peeta Mellark."

I catch the look of surprise and worry in Katniss' face at the same time that my mind registered what had happened. Effie called me. I am also a tribute.

Life can play such a huge joke on you. Who would have thought that it will decide to grant my wish at the last minute. It seemed to hear my desire to protect her and to talk to her moments ago and gave me this opportunity.


	2. Goodbyes

CHAPTER 2 – GOODBYES

* * *

A sense of confusion sweeps through me, not knowing how to feel. I slowly make my way towards the stage, taking deep breaths each step. I can feel her eyes on me, but I don't have the faintest idea of what she's thinking. Could she already be pondering the different ways to kill me, knowing that I would be a very easy prey?

I sighed and steadily took my place on the stage. Effie asked for volunteers, and I wondered idly if Gale will step up to take my place. I quickly dismissed this thought, though, because somehow, I know that Katniss will mind. After all, her family will be left with no one to look after them, and I can sense that Gale will be the one to take that role. My brothers – they would never dare to do what Katniss had done for her sister today. What she did is a first in history.

The mayor starts reading the Treaty of Treason, but my heart is beating so loud I can barely hear what he's saying. I look around the square and spot my father in the crowd with a sad look on his face. My mother's standing beside him, but I couldn't understand her expression. Does she fear for my life? Will there be consoling words for me later?

I don't worry much about my family. I know that even without me, they will survive. I will not have to worry whether or not they're getting by each day. I am certain they will. And I doubt that my absence would be very disastrous for them, especially to my mother. I'll miss my father the most; after all, he's the person I'm closest to in my family.

After reading the treaty, the mayor asked Katniss and I to shake hands. I step sideways and face her. This is by far the closest that we have ever been, and I look her straight in the eye as I extend my hand: knowing that she's afraid, and hoping to reassure her that she will get by just fine. So I gave her hand – soft and tender against mine – a gentle squeeze, wanting her to know that I'm here with her.

I knew it's too much to hope for that I stay alive after a day in the arena. But as I slowly regain my composure, a plan begins to form in my head. I try to see the brighter side to this story. First, there will be a few days before we are placed in the arena where I could possibly (hopefully) get a chance to talk to her, to know her, even for just a short period of time. That thought gave me a different kind of nervousness, but I quickly shove it away.

I may die in the arena, but if I will get the chance to talk to her – be friends, even – before the games start, then I'll die a happy man.

The anthem of Panem plays in the background, and we were immediately escorted by a group of Peacekeepers to the Justice Building. This is my first time inside the building, and I am ushered in a room where I was left alone. Looking around, I am immediately struck by the richly designed room, sure that I have never seen anything like this. I sat on the couch and waited for my family. One hour. I have one hour to say goodbye to them before I am transported to the Capitol to face my death.

* * *

I put on a brave face, but inside, I know that I'm crumbling. The door opened, and my family enters. I hug them one by one and saved my father for last. He patted me on the shoulder and said, "You take care, son." I nodded, not wanting to say anything for fear that the tears will come. My father stayed silent; he has never been much of a talker, but I know him well. He's trying to hold back his feelings, probably trying to be strong for me, keeping his eyes locked on the floor.

My mother came up to me and said, "You're strong. I guess all those years of making you run errands in the market has finally found a bigger purpose." I shook my head, but still felt grateful for my mother's attempt at consoling me. She has never been good with words – everything she says will sting, and I think that this is the nicest that she can come up with. My brothers stayed silent, offering me a gentle pat on the back, again a silent way of extending their support. We sat silently for a few minutes, then my mother spoke up.

"Well, maybe District 12 will finally have a winner." I look at her, surprise flooding my features, before she continued, "She's a survivor, that one is." And I realize that she wasn't referring to me at all.

"Peeta can also survive." My father says.

I shook my head, unsure how to feel. Just when I thought my mother is really trying to be nice… but I reign my disappointment in, knowing that she's right, and knowing in my heart that that's what I want anyway. Her survival.

"Dad." I begin.

"Just believe in yourself. You are strong, you are capable. You will have time to train before they bring you to the arena. There is hope."

I nodded, not wanting to argue with him anymore because it's a lost cause anyway. I know that this must be my father's way of encouraging me; that he may still be in denial of what is to come. So I stayed silent, until too soon, it is time for them to go. I look at all of them, trying to memorize my family's faces, when I realize that they are crying. I hugged them tightly, whispered my love, and that's when I heard my dad say that he will also keep an eye on Katniss' family. There was no way I could stop the tears from falling – I realized that my dad had known of my feelings for Katniss, and his reassurance that they will be looked after is the best parting gift that he can give me. I stammered my thanks to my dad before holding on to him until the Peacekeepers separated us.

My next guests weren't really unexpected: a handful of friends I've made at school, including Delly Cartwright whom I have known since childhood. They bid me luck, but I was still crying from my goodbyes with my family. Eventually, they were also ushered out immediately until all that's left in the room is empty space and the sound of my sobs.

* * *

I tried to hold it in; I wouldn't want to look weak in front of the cameras, but I found it a difficult task. When I was finally able to get rid of my tears, I can feel that my face would already register that I had been crying a lot. I was ushered to a car and we travelled from the Justice Building to the train station, and that's where I saw the swarm of reporters. I spot Katniss being ushered out of the car, and felt ashamed with myself when I saw that she looks so composed and in control of herself.

We had to wait at the doorway of the train with all the cameras positioned near our faces. I sneak a look at her and saw that she's staring straight ahead, without even bothering to look in my direction. I look away, again thinking that I may be an idiot for even dreaming that she would want to talk to me. Thankfully, the doors finally opened and we were let in. The train sped away.

This is the last time that I'll see District 12, I thought sadly.


	3. The Boy with the Bread

CHAPTER 3 - THE BOY WITH THE BREAD

* * *

As the tribute train sped away Katniss and I were led to our own chambers which has a bedroom, dressing area, and a private bathroom. The luxuries provided to us seem almost comical to me. Perhaps the Capitol wants all of us to spend our last few days with a brief glimpse of how comfortable their own lives are. At least, they were generous enough to give us this.

I carefully walked around my chamber, overwhelmed by the overflowing supply of clothes in the drawers and the machines that does who-knows-what. I'm thinking what it would be like to spend the days not worrying about anything. How will I learn skills – baking, for instance – when everything I need comes with a simple push of the button? Maybe that's why Katniss has become such a good hunter. Years of practice in the woods gave her that edge.

I decided that what I really need now is to clean myself, hoping that this will somehow clear my head. Just as I was about to go to the shower, I hear a knock on my door.

"Peeta! I just have to remind you that supper will be served in an hour. In the meantime, make yourself comfortable, but be at the dining table on time!" said Effie in her usual high-pitched tone.

I thanked her before slowly making my way back to the bathroom. This must be another ordinary day for Effie; thinking of all the ridiculous and brightly colored clothes that she had been wearing over the years. I wonder how she must feel about having to escort tributes from the poorest district of Panem. I bet she's itching to get a better assignment.

I strip off my clothes and step into the shower, grateful that the water can actually have a soothing effect on me. I tried to recall what happened today, and immediately, I felt homesick. But I'll hold it all in; I am much calmer now, and I seem more in control of my emotions. The tears have spilled themselves all out.

Satisfied that my mind is already stable enough, I went back to my room and wore the first things I found on the drawer. I didn't want to stay in my chamber for fear that I would start to overthink things, so I stepped out and began to roam the train. While walking, I came across Haymitch – looking wobbly while holding a nearly empty bottle of alcohol in his left hand – and I hurried to him before he falls on the floor. I steadied him by holding him through the elbows and asked him where he's going.

"I need a nap." He replied.

I nodded, knowing that he will not be able to stand himself upright any longer. "You need help?" I asked, wanting to be nice. After all, he will be our mentor; our lifeline.

He shoved my hand and kept himself steady by holding the wall. "No, I can manage." Haymitch said before turning away from me and entering the first door he encountered.

I shook my head, thinking if there's ever a time that Haymitch is sober. Or if he plans to be, in order to teach us all we need to know before we will be sent to the arena.

Without anything else to do, I decided to continue my own tour of the tribute train. While walking, I wondered what Katniss could be doing at this moment. Is she finally crying, after that strong front she showed back in our district? What's going on in her mind right now? Is she as restless as I am now? I wonder what it will be like for the next few days.

Will I get a shot at being friends with her?

Surely, there could be a chance, right? I laughed softly, thinking that here I am, walking towards death's door, and most of my thoughts are occupied by the possibility of finally being friends with her. Does she remember that day from long ago, when I tried to help her?

* * *

_It was a rainy afternoon, but as usual, I have to finish my task of baking the bread. I was looking absentmindedly in the window, thinking what it must feel like to be out there in the cold. I don't really feel the coolness of the weather as my hands are constantly near the heat of the oven. I was in this state when I heard my mother screaming. Did she catch me doing my task absentmindedly? She has always been strict about this; that we must never, never be out of focus especially when doing the bread because she wants everything done perfectly. A simple mistake could lead to beating… and a lot of bruises, sometimes even blood._

_I looked around and spotted her, and I let myself sigh in relief when I saw that I'm not the one she's mad at. "What in the world are you doing here, you useless thing! Get away from here!" my mother said while waving her hand in the air. I looked at my mother and saw that she's screaming at someone in our backyard, and I felt an immediate pity for whoever it is._

_"Do you want me to call the Peacekeepers? I'm so sick of all of you bratty Seam people! Don't you know anything other than to look at our trash bins? Go away!" She continued, her voice growing louder with each word._

_The Seam people are the unfortunate ones, and I felt bad for the person. Being out in the rain is bad enough; but having nothing to eat in this weather is even worse. I tentatively left my station and walked to the door, trying to see who it is from my mother's back._

_I gasped. It's Katniss, the girl I've had a huge crush on since I was five. I felt my heart plummet wildly in my chest as I watched her return the lid of our garbage can. I knew that her father died, of course, and I imagined how difficult it must be for her. I've hear a lot about her father; my dad even mentioned that he wanted to marry Katniss' mother but instead, she chose to run away with the coal miner. He understood why, and I also know how people in our district respects him a lot. He had that deep, soulful voice that has the power to make all birds fall silent as they listen to him, before trying to repeat the melody on their own. That is something that Katniss acquired, and the moment I heard her sing, I knew that just like my father, I am caught in her trap._

_But she doesn't know it. I hurried back to the ovens before my mother catches me, frantically thinking of a way to help the girl. Obviously, I cannot give her some of the freshly baked bread that's waiting to be bought. I stared at the bread in the oven, and that's when I thought of what I can do._

_It will result to a lot of beating, but like the crazy boy I am, I ignored that thought, focusing only my plan to help her. My mother shooed her away moments ago… is she far away already? Or will I still be able to catch up to give her my small present?_

_I looked up and checked to make sure that my mother is not watching me. Carefully, I picked two loaves and brought it to the fire. I saw that the base has burned, but everything else is still perfect. I had to burn the bread; there is no other way for me to take this out of the house if it weren't. I heard my mother's footsteps and knew immediately what was to come._

_"Idiot!" She shouted at me, quickly seeing the dark base of the bread. "Who will eat this bread? You moron, how many times do I have to tell you to focus on your work!" she said, while smacking me in the head with the nearby pan._

_My mother's rage has gone out of control. I can see it in her eyes, that there's no way that she will let this go. She found the belt that has become my punishment for years, and I braced myself for the attack. "How many times do I have to beat you for you to learn your lesson! Do you want me to cut your fingers now?"_

_I was hit everywhere – my face, my arms, my fingers, my whole body. I never fought back. She is, after all, still my mother. She shoved me roughly to the back door, pushing me into the rain before she threw the two loaves of bread in my face. I picked it up, not wanting mud to ruin the good parts, and I heard her yell "Feed it to the pig, you stupid creature! Why not? No one decent will buy burned bread!"_

_I sloshed through the mud, thinking where Katniss has gone, when I spotted her sitting by the tree in our backyard. I hurried out in the direction of our pigs, removed burned bits of the bread, and tossed it into the trough. I heard a bell in the front door: a customer has arrived, and I heard my mother slam the back door shut to attend to the customer._

_This is the best chance that I've got, and my mother will never know what I'm about to do next. If she found out, she will surely chase Katniss away, take the burned bread from her to give it to our pigs, and beat me more. I was afraid to look at Katniss, cowed by the thought that she may pity how I look. At this point, I am well aware of the sting in my cheekbone. I looked back at our house to double-check that my mother is still pre-occupied by the customer. Satisfied, I tossed the first loaf to her while keeping my eyes locked on the pigs. I threw the second one soon after, and I hurried back to the house before my mother can discover what I have done._

_What is she thinking now? I let myself smile briefly, knowing that I have helped her somehow._

* * *

The incident happened years ago, and I don't have the faintest idea if she still remembers it or not. In the days that followed, I keep my eyes glued on her – but always from a distance. I wanted her to notice me, but I don't know how or what I will tell her. Once, I caught her looking at me and I quickly turned my gaze away. Was she really looking at me? I remembered how I stole another glance at her that time but she has turned her head away, and is plucking what I thought to be a dandelion. The memory stuck in my head.

I walked quietly along the corridors until I found the dining room. I settled on one of the chairs and made myself comfortable while waiting for the others. They should be here soon enough.


	4. Sober Up

CHAPTER 4 – SOBER UP

* * *

_Note: I'm doing my best to capture Peeta's character in the story. Please read and review! _

* * *

Effie spotted me waiting in the dining table, and I can see how genuinely pleased she is that I did not ignore her reminder to be here on time. "Oh, good you're here already!" she trilled. "At least you're punctual. Okay, I'll check on Katniss so that we can start dinner!" she added as she turned toward the door.

She was gone only for a few minutes, and when she entered the door, Katniss is already with her. I see that she also took a shower, and that she has changed from the pretty blue dress that she was wearing at the reaping to something that resembles her everyday outfit back at home: a dark green shirt and pants. Simple, I thought, but very captivating.

"Where's Haymitch?" Effie asked.

I remembered our encounter earlier and thought that he might still be sleeping. "Last time I saw him, he said he was going to take a nap."

Effie nodded, seeming relieved of his absence. I recalled how Haymitch came to her at the stage during the reaping, and I realized that Effie was not very pleased with that. I hid a smile. "Well, it's been an exhausting day." Effie replied. I have to give it to her: despite being humiliated at the stage, she doesn't say a bad thing about Haymitch.

The supper was so rich. And that's understating things. There were several courses, and I greedily indulged myself in the soup, salad, lamb chops, mashed potato, cheese and fruit, and a hearty dessert of chocolate cake. This is no doubt the best meal I've had in my life, far from the stale food we eat at home, and despite Effie's reminders that there's more to come, I devoured each dish wholeheartedly like there's no tomorrow.

"At least you two have decent manners. The pair last year ate everything with their hands like a couple of savages. It completely upset my digestion." Effie commented. Somehow, I know that her words will hit its mark as it is a direct assault on the living conditions of the people in our district. Most people are poor, but being a baker's son gave me the helped me learn a few things about manners. The others never had to think about proper etiquette, especially when there's almost nothing to eat. Katniss too can eat decently – her mother belonged to a well-to-do family before she ran off with Katniss' father.

I looked at Katniss and saw that she's pursing her lips unhappily. We continued eating – with Katniss eating the rest of her meal using her hands. I smiled lightly, thinking that she has quite a temper. This meal is the most that I have ever eaten, and in all aspects, it is truly a feast. I feel so full to the point of wanting to vomit, but I kept it all in, knowing that every bite is precious. Katniss seems to be feeling the same way.

Once we're through eating, Effie led us to another compartment where we will be watching the recap of the reapings. This is the first time that we will see our fellow tributes. The Careers – those from districts 1, 2, and 4 – are noticeably strong and all too willing to go to battle. I felt shock cross my features when they called the girl tribute from District 11: she's so tiny, probably about 12 years old; but no one dared to take her place. Then we are up, and for the first time, I saw Katniss and I on stage as we took our places. Ours was an emotional scene, but Haymitch provided a distraction from this one with his on-stage diving act.

"Your mentor has a lot to learn about presentation. A lot about televised behavior." Effie said unhappily.

I laugh. Haymitch's act was not very surprising at all. "He was drunk. He's drunk every year." I say, remembering the reapings in the past years. As a victor, Haymitch is richer than the rest of us, and he can afford to live luxuriously. He, however, chose to spend his days getting intoxicated. I never understood why he wouldn't want to enjoy the fact that he survived the Game.

"Every day," Katniss added, and as I glanced at her, I see that humor has lightened her features.

"Yes." Effie replies. She's starting to get annoyed now. "How odd you two find it amusing. You know your mentor is your lifeline to the world in these Games. The one who advises you, lines up your sponsors, and dictates the presentations of any gifts. Haymitch can well be the difference between your life and your death!" she continued.

That, of course, is true. There is no counter-argument to what Effie just said, but I was rather hoping that Haymitch is just enjoying himself while official training haven't started yet. He has to come around, right?

The door to the compartment opens, and Haymitch came into view. "I miss supper?" Obviously, sleep doesn't do anything to make him sober. He stepped inside, then vomits on the expensive carpet before diving into his own mess. I stared incredulously, suddenly feeling worried for our future in the Games. Maybe we will be forced to face the arena without any guidance at all.

"So laugh away!" Effie said, clearly disgusted by the sight as she stepped out of the room. I sighed. Haymitch has gained consciousness again and is now trying to stand up, but with no success. His vomit stuck to his clothes, and the smell is starting to cling in the air.

I stood up, deciding that I can't take this any longer. It was only when I reached Haymitch and tried to help him up did I realize that Katniss is also doing the same thing. Maybe we can both find a way to make this situation work to our favor.

"I tripped?" Haymitch asks, clearly indicating that his thoughts are so clouded by the alcohol. "Smells bad." He added before wiping his hand on his nose. He is such a wreck.

"Let's get you back to your room, clean you up a little bit." I say. Maybe if Haymitch realizes what happened today, he will come to his senses and start getting sober. We slowly dragged him to his room and placed him in the bathtub before turning on the shower. I knew this could be an awkward situation for Katniss; she probably never had to take care of a drunk man anyway, so I decided to be a gentleman and spare her the trouble of fixing Haymitch up.

"It's okay, I'll take it from here." I said. I'm not really sure what to do, but scrubbing the vomit off Haymitch and tucking him to bet is probably the best that I can do.

"All right." Katniss agreed. "I can send one of the Capitol people to help you." She offered, probably wanting to ease my load too. But I don't want their help. I can barely stand being around them, knowing that they're betting on our lives. So I told her no.

Katniss nodded and left the room. I sighed, thinking that this is probably our first conversation, and turned my attention to Haymitch who is now fast asleep. I quickly removed his clothes and dumped them on the floor, deciding to let the Capitol attendants deal with it. I gently scrubbed Haymitch to remove any stench before carrying him to his bed, hoping that tomorrow, he will come to his senses. I slipped out of his room and gently closed the door before returning to my own chamber.

Will I be able to sleep tonight? I don't think so, but fatigue from the day's events is slowly wearing me out, and besides, I'm going to need all the rest I can have. So I crawled into bed when I'm done cleaning myself: I wouldn't want to sleep with the smell of Haymitch's vomit, which stuck in my clothes and even in my arms. I sighed, slowly relaxing in the soft bed, and let the darkness take over.

* * *

Probably out of habit, I woke up before dawn has risen. I felt well-rested already, so I began to make myself look presentable. We will be reaching the Capitol today, and I force myself not to think of that. So I proceeded to the dining room.

The place never seems to run out of food. Even at this hour, dishes for breakfast are already prepared. I sat at the table, not wanting to be rude by eating ahead of the others, when Effie comes in.

"You're up early!" she exclaimed. "Wonderful!"

She seemed to be in high spirits today and I don't want to burst her bubble, so I said a simple , "Good morning Effie."

"Well, well." Effie said as she sat across from me. "Did you sleep well last night?"

I nodded, thinking that this is probably the first time that anyone bothered to ask if I'm well rested. Maybe Effie has a sensitive side too; a motherly instinct that comes naturally.

"It's hard not to sleep well with that very comfortable bed. It's like sleeping in a heap of feathers." I say, keeping up with her mood.

Effie seemed pleased that I am enjoying the Capitol's accommodations. "Then you'll find your chamber in Capitol even better!"

"In that case, I can probably stay up for many nights in the arena, since I'll be so well-rested here." I say, adding in my mind that I may not spend even a single night there.

Effie laughs, commenting on how brilliant that sounds. I was momentarily distracted from our conversation by the sound of footsteps, and I immediately guessed that the footsteps belong to Haymitch since it's so heavy. I was right, and I can see how Effie's mood changed in an instant.

"Oh there you are." She said, still smiling. "So how is it like to wake up in a pool of your own vomit?"

Effie probably had that memory engraved in her brain forever. I imagine that this must give her a slight satisfaction. After all, no sane person would find it pleasant to wake up that way, even for a drunkard.

Haymitch turned to Effie, a smirk on his face. His face is red and slightly puffy from last night, but he seems sober, nonetheless. "I slept well enough, thank you. The Capitol attendants were nice enough to lead me back to my room."

Of course he wouldn't remember that it was me and Katniss who dragged him back to his room. He was so far off already at that time. A platter of food was placed before us, as well as a basket of rolls and a mug of a thick brown liquid. "Katniss and I were the ones to bring you back to your room, Haymitch." I said. He has to know that; I will not allow him to neglect us. He must know that we're willing to help him, so he should do the same.

Effie asked one of the servers for a cup of coffee, looking annoyed that we helped Haymitch after her speech for us. "Ah." Haymitch said, seeming confused at first before laughing loudly. "I remember! You stripped me, right?"

"Yeah, I did, but that was to clean you up," I say, taking the cup in my hands and gratefully sipping it. It tastes wonderful. "What do you call this?" I ask.

"It's hot chocolate." Effie answered, almost defeated.

He winked at Effie. "See? These tributes are nice, eh?" he said, before turning to me. "Well I would have to say thank you. At least now we're closer, you've seen all of me anyway."

I can hear Effie muttering something under her breath. "Well, someone has to do the job." I said, and took a roll from the basket, feeling embarrassed. I hear the door open and turned to see Katniss just as Effie was leaving the room. I heaved a sigh of relief, thankful that at least the conversation can be directed somewhere else.

"Sit down! Sit down!" Haymitch said, looking really happy that he seems to have won the brawl with Effie. Katniss walked over and sat with us. A platter of food and a cup of hot chocolate and orange juice were also served in front of her. She looked at the mug like she's trying to put a name to it.

"They call it hot chocolate. It's good." I say, wanting to encourage her to taste this delicious treat. I observed her as she took a sip and smiled when I saw that she enjoyed it too. I started eating bits of my roll and dipped them in hot chocolate. It tasted so good that even when I've finished my platter, I continue eating the rolls.

Haymitch, I observed, is starting to drink again. He has a glass of wine set beside his plate. My spirit sank – how will we get him to help us? I realized that Katniss is thinking the same thing when I heard her speak up. "So, you're supposed to give us advice."

"Here's some advice. Stay alive." Haymitch countered, before laughing aloud. I kept my face void of any emotion, but I can feel my eyes hardening as a struggled to remain calm. I looked at Katniss and saw that she's barely in control, too.

"That's very funny, only not to us." I say, hating the way Haymitch talked to Katniss without considering the weight of our situation. How we depend on him so much. That's when I felt the impact of his fist on my jaw and felt myself falling from the chair. I gritted my teeth, knowing that I shouldn't be fighting with him, but held my place.

Then an unexpected thing happens. When Haymitch was reaching for his wine glass, Katniss stabbed her knife into the table, barely missing Haymitch's hand.

"Well, what's this? Did I actually get a pair of fighters this year?" Haymitch said, looking surprised. Effie would have loved that sight.

I rise from the floor and grabbed a handful of ice from the fruit tureen before his punch could leave a bruise on my face. But Haymitch stopped me. "No, let the bruise show. The audience will think you've mixed it up with another tribute before you've even made it to the arena."

I protested. I've been watching the Games ever since, and am aware that one of the rules is to not fight against other tributes before the Games officially starts. Does Haymitch really want us out? "That's against the rules."

"Only if they catch you. That bruise will say you fought, you weren't caught, even better." He replied, then turned to Katniss. "Can you hit anything with that knife besides a table?"

This must be it. I can sense a change in his tone, and I'm starting to hope that finally, he will be taking us seriously. I watched as Katniss took the knife and threw it across the room. It landed in a seam between two panels, demonstrating how good she is in handling weapons.

"Stand over here. Both of you." Haymitch instructed us. We did as we were told and went to the space he pointed at in the middle of the room. He started walking around us in circles, examining every inch of us. "Well you're not entirely hopeless. Seem fit. And once the stylists get hold of you, you'll be attractive enough." He remarked. This is it, I thought. He is finally paying attention to us.

"All right, I'll make a deal with you," he continued. "You don't interfere with my drinking, and I'll stay sober enough to help you. But you have to do exactly as I say."

"Fine," I replied, knowing that this is the best deal we can ever get from him. And it's a lot better than nothing.

"So help us," Katniss added. "When we get to the arena, what's the best strategy at the Corcucopia for someone –"

Haymitch cut her off. "One thing at a time. In a few minutes, we'll be pulling into the station. You'll be put in the hands of your stylists. You're not going to like what they do to you. But no matter what it is, don't resist."

Will we be transformed now to look like one of the people in Capitol? Heavily painted faces, over-the-top hair, and decorative outfits? Is that really necessary?

"But – " I hear Katniss counter. She must hate the idea as much as I do, but what choice do we have?

"No buts. Don't resist." Haymitch said. Then he took his bottle and left us alone.

* * *

I stared in disbelief, then I realized that we're almost in our destination as I saw the darkness outside. We must already be at the tunnel leading to the Capitol. Then as the train starts to slow, bright light begins to flood the compartment again, and Katniss and I run to the window. This may be the first and only time that we'll be here in this place. I took in the scenery and was amazed at its beauty. Even the cameras can't capture how truly beautiful it is.

Then I saw the crowd waving at us eagerly. These people treat the Hunger Games like a feast, and every year, all of them are very excited about the next batch of tributes; even taking bets on who will win the Games. I felt Katniss stepping away from the window, but I held my place, thinking that if I want to stay long enough at the game, I have to start pleasing them now.

I waved and smiled at them, and I am rewarded with hoots and shouts of encouragement. They loved it. All of a sudden, the train stopped.

I turned to Katniss and saw that she's staring at me, looking like she's disgusted. I had to make her understand. While she's got her skills, I can only rely on making people like me so that hopefully, I can gather enough sponsors. "Who knows? One of them may be rich." I shrug, and Effie comes rushing in the door to escort us outside the station.

"Okay! You have to move move move now!" she said, clapping her hands. "Remember: chins up, and smile! The crowd will love you!"

I understood that look on Katniss' face: the Capitol brought us here for their entertainment. In a few days, 23 of us will be dead. There are so many reasons to hate the Capitol, but I'm doing this – being humble to the Capitol crowd – to be able to protect her. Because that's the only thing I can do. I need to hold on to anything that I can to stay alive long enough to ensure that Katniss will be crowned victor. That's my dying wish.


	5. Opening Ceremonies

CHAPTER 5 - OPENING CEREMONIES

* * *

_Thank you for the reviews, favorites, and follows! I hope you're enjoying the story so far. Please keep reading, and don't hesitate to give me some feedback! _

* * *

As soon as the train stopped at the station, we were ushered out to a waiting car and brought to the "remake center". I was greeted by my prep team in their chirpy Capitol accent. The female's name is Serra, and she has arms tattooed with butterflies and her ridiculously long eyelashes are dyed violet. The male, called Hamish, has protruding bones and angular features sporting a spiky hair dyed green at the tips.

I guess nudity is not an issue in the Capitol. As soon as I arrived at the Remake Center, these two people stripped me down before I even have time to object. I never complained about what they're doing; partly because of our deal with Haymitch and partly because it's really not in my character. So I let them work on me, and I have to purse my lips tightly as they removed hairs all my body hair. I don't understand why they have to do this – is being hairless really one of the standards of beauty here?

My mind wandered to Katniss. I bet they're doing the same things to her, and I found myself debating whether or not she was able to hold back her complaints. From what I observed, Katniss is not one to just accept everything: she will argue and voice out her thoughts if she found something unacceptable. I smile, but hoped that she stayed silent. Haymitch could easily leave us to our own devices again if he learned that we ignored his instructions.

It seemed a really long time for them to "clean" me up. "Ah! Look at you!" Serra exclaims. "What a fine young man." She said, before planting a kiss on my cheek. I was taken aback – I didn't expect that. But her character is so upbeat, I didn't give any malice to it.

Hamish laughs and poked Serra with his long, slender fingers. "Let's call Portia, so she can get started."

_What else is there left for the head stylist to do?_ I wondered. Before I could ponder on this thought, a woman with shoulder-length curly blond hair and bangs entered the room. Her body is not as grotesque as the others: instead of tattoos, she settled for pink eyebrows and a violet lipstick. "You must be Portia," I note.

She smiled, seeming glad that I know her name already. "That's right. I will be your stylist for the Games." She says, before walking over to me and inspecting me from head to toe. "I'm new by the way. But don't worry, Cinna and I devoted all our efforts whole-heartedly for your attires."

I know that she's new because the past stylists of District 12 are already way too old. And she's young, probably in her late 20s. But I can't be too sure. The Capitol has its way of making everyone look a lot younger than their age. "Who's Cinna? Where is he?" I ask. _I have two head stylists?_

"He'll be working on your fellow tribute, Katniss." She says, and handed me a bathrobe while motioning for me to sit on the plush chair. I obeyed.

A male named Cinna will be working on Katniss? I wonder how she will react to that. Suddenly I felt uncomfortable, because whoever he is, he'll be working on Katniss – most probably naked, like what they did to me – and I couldn't fathom that thought. Why didn't they just switch and have Portia work with her, and Cinna with me?

Portia seemed to pick up my thoughts because she smiled before handing me a cup of steamy liquid. Tea, I guessed. "Don't worry, we're professionals." She winks. "Cinna and I have been building up the idea of your costume for a while. I'm sure you know how it goes: you will be representing your district's industry."

"Coal mining," I reply. "I assume our costumes will be black?" I add, trying to guess what they're going to make us wear. The past few years, District 12 have consistently worn skimpy versions of a coal miner's getup… Or sometimes just covered in coal dust.

"Yes, mining. But we decided to take a new approach. The coal miner's getup had been used for so many years, there's nothing remarkable about it now. No one will notice you if we don't level up the playing field. Do you have any guesses on what this year's theme will be?"

I try to think of another method to present mining, my artistic instincts kicking in. "Body paint?" I guess, thinking that this is barely an improvement at all.

Portia laughs. "No, you will be fully clothed. But you can expect to look… fierce."

Fierce. That's another way of describing it. "Okay, at least now I'm certain that we won't be stark naked." I say, smiling at her. "But I give up on guessing. What will we be wearing?"

At this, Portia gives me a mysterious smile before leaning in and whispering the answer.

"Fire."

* * *

_Fire._ She said this as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. I look at her incredulously, hoping that she's just humoring me, but one look at her and I know that she's serious. Portia merely laughs at my expression.

"We wanted to focus on what coal does, and we thought that using the fire element will give you the most fiery debut ever!" Portia says, obviously excited with the idea.

"Like a human torch?" I say, thinking that Katniss and I may not make it to the arena after all. Is that even allowed? We have to talk to Haymitch about this; surely he will have his own say in the matter. Protect us from being burned alive, at the very least.

"Silly boy! But something like that!" she exclaims, and it only worsened my fear. Maybe Katniss and I can form a plan before they smolder us to ashes.

Now that she has revealed what our costume will be like, Portia drags me into another room and made me wear a simple black attire made of leather that covers my entire body. Then she proceeds to place a long cape and matching headdress that seemed to give the edge of the entire costume. But of course, the fire will be the defining character of this getup.

I'm not sure how long she worked on me, I'm guessing maybe two or three hours, and I'm thankful that she didn't put on a lot of makeup on me. I want to see Haymitch before we are thrown into the opening ceremonies, but Portia never left my side, and I never saw even Haymitch's shadow. I began to lose hope.

"All done!" Portia says. "Now, once we've put the fire on your cape - it's only synthetic of course, and you won't feel a thing - just look as natural as you can be! The audience will be so thrilled, I can feel it!"

She seems so excited about the whole thing that I didn't even have the heart to tell her that I hate their idea. There's something about the Capitol that seems to make everyone almost lunatic. So I say, "I'm sure they will love it, it's a first, after all."

* * *

Portia beams at me and ushers me outside. That's when I see that Katniss and I are dressed identically. The man beside her looked almost normal, with only a gold eyeliner to define him, and I assume that he must be Cinna, her stylist. Her gaze met mine, and I can sense that she's also worrying about being burned alive. Making the deal with her would be an easy task. I'm sure she wouldn't want to die that way.

We were escorted to the bottom of the Remake Center and directed to a chariot with four coal black horses. We stepped on it and Cinna and Portia arranged our position and costumes before stepping away from us and talking to one another. I noted that unlike the other tributes, and what used to be the norm in the past years, our stylists angled our bodies close together - a far cry from the other tributes who are standing as far away from each other.

"What do you think? About the fire?" I hear Katniss whisper, and I turned to see her face clouded with worry.

Now we really have to be worried about our safety. We haven't seen Haymitch since we left the train, so the option of having him save us now is definitely off the list. Our only choice left is to help each other. We have to agree on something before our crazy stylists light us up. I reply to Katniss, barely keeping the panic out of my voice. "I'll rip off your cape if you rip off mine."

"Deal," she says, clearly aware that we only have each other now. It's us against the world, because given their weird characters, I'm certain that the Capitol crowd will love to watch us burn. Excitement, to them, comes at the expense of whoever is providing that entertainment.

"I know we promised Haymitch we'd do exactly what they said, but I don't think he considered this angle." Katniss adds.

At least our thoughts are in line now. Maybe we can both survive the opening ceremonies with only minor burns, if we get off our capes fast enough. I decide to voice out my disappointment. "Where is Haymitch anyway? Isn't he supposed to protect us from this sort of thing?" _Is he already backing out of our deal already? _

"With all that alcohol in him, it's probably not advisable to have him around an open flame." Katniss responds. Trying, I guess, to lighten up our situation. We laugh together, because that scenario is most probably true.

I hear the opening music, and my muscles tensed immediately. _This is it, _I thought, and watched as the first chariots moved. I locked my jaw, panic boiling inside me. I sneak a glance at Katniss - she looks as terrified as I am.

All too soon, District 11's chariot start to move forward, and I know that the time has come. I spot Cinna holding a lighted torch.

"Here we go then," I say, hoping that Katniss will get my signal. But before we can even react, I felt a tingling sensation on my back. I turned my head to see that our capes are already glowing, and I heave a sigh of relief. Portia didn't lie, after all. Cinna climbed the chariot and lit our headdresses, glad that stint with the fire is working.

He cupped Katniss's chin and says, "Remember, heads high. Smile. They're going to love you!" Then he bounded off our chariot and shouted, "Hold hands!"

"What's he saying?" Katniss asks. She's probably still flooded with relief, but my body is tensing again. In a whole different level. _Hold hands? _I stare at her for a brief moment and marvel at how the flames illuminated her beauty. She is absolutely stunning.

"I think he said for us to hold hands," I reply, and before she could resist, I grabbed her right hand in mine. I wasn't entirely sure if she will object to Cinna's idea, but she didn't, and she kept our hands intertwined. I can easily guess that she's nervous: hers are so cold. She looks to Cinna to check if we're doing it right, and I see him nod and give a thumbs up.

_Thank you Cinna, _I thought, glad that I'll be holding on to Katniss as we face the audience. My heart beat strongly against my chest. How many times did I imagine holding her hand?

Then our chariot starts moving, and I hear the crowd's reaction. Our stylists were right: they are going wild already, shouting "District 12!" and everyone's attention is turned to us. I know what they're seeing: Katniss's gorgeous face lit up by our burning cape and headdress. I peeked at the large television screen and saw that this debut is indeed a fiery one. We have their absolute attention.

I feel Katniss moving beside me and saw that she's smiling at the audience. It's the first time I've seen her smile like that; I'm almost shocked at how breathtaking she looks with it. She's waving at them and I hear the roar of the crowd, and I proceeded to do the same. Waving, smiling, pleasing the audience. They loved it. Flowers were thrown our way, and I hear them shouting our first names. "Peeta! Katniss!" Lots of hoots and shouts of adoration. I smiled even wider. We have an edge in the Games, all thanks to our marvelous stylists.

Katniss's hold on my hand grew tighter as we move forward, and I relish in the feeling of her hand on mine. I replied by holding her hand tighter, glad that we were made to face this together. Without our linked hands, I'd probably fall off the chariot out of nervousness. Her presence beside me keeps me steady, even without her knowing.

But as we enter the City Circle, I feel Katniss loosening her grip on my hand and I start to panic. "No, don't let go of me," i plead, looking her straight in the eye. Did it have to be so soon? "Please. I might fall out of this thing." I can't let go of her hand, not yet.

"Okay," she says, and I'm immediately relieved. I smile and look at the President, who is now standing in the balcony above us. He starts to give his speech, which is mostly the same each year, so I distracted myself by looking at our fellow tributes through the large screen. I only caught brief glances of them though; I can see that the cameras can barely leave us alone and we close-ups of the two of us are shown on the screen almost the whole time.

When President Snow's speech is finished, our chariots move once again and we are paraded for the last time in the circle before we are led to the Training Center. As the doors closed behind us, signifying that the opening ceremonies has ended, I can see many women tributes looking at Katniss's direction with a hint of jealousy. I also spot plenty of the males looking her way. Everyone seems attracted to her, and I know why. There is no denying her charm, and the best part is that she doesn't even seem to be aware of it.

* * *

Cinna and Portia rushed towards us and removed the flames from our costumes with a spray. I felt gleeful that Katniss is still holding my hand even though the ceremonies are already done. I try not to think of it too much, and I decide to make the most out of it. A bit of satisfaction and smugness came to me as I saw the dirty looks that the male tributes are giving me. Jealous of me, I think, because of the way I'm linked to Katniss. If it were up to me, I'd want us to stay locked together. I held her tightly, knowing that I will not be the first to let go.

When Katniss realized that she's still clinging to me, she began to unlock her fingers. Our time together has ended. I massaged it, wanting to keep her essence there forever, not knowing if I will have another chance like this. Probably not. So I relished at the heat of my hand and kept the memory in my heart.

"Thanks for keeping hold of me. I was getting a little shaky there," I tell her.

"It didn't show." she says. "I'm sure no one noticed."

Of course, I thought. No one noticed because everyone's entranced by her beauty. "I'm sure they didn't notice anything but you," I say truthfully. Doesn't she know? "You should wear flames more often, they suit you." I added, and smiled at her. I didn't know what she'd think of that. Did it reveal how much I stared at her today? Or almost everyday for the past 11 years.

She just stared at me, seeming to decide on something. _Did I say too much? _

Then, without even a warning, she stood on a tiptoe and kissed my cheek, the part which was bruised from that night that I gave her the bread. She quickly walked away, and I stood there staring at her retreating figure. _What was that for? _

It was only a second, and I had to blink a few times to make sure that I wasn't dreaming. I look around me and saw that some of the tributes witnessed it. _It's real, _I thought. _It's real!_ The spot where she kissed me is still tingling, and I tried to keep my thoughts calm. To no avail. My mind is a tangle of thoughts: a part of me wants to dissect her motives, but a part of me just wants to be content and savor the moment. Was that her way of indicating our new relationship, as friends? Can I really have that chance? She kissed me, was all I can think of. A huge smile spread across my lips. It's more than I ever hoped for, and I know that this moment will be only thing I'll hold on to when I die in the arena.


	6. Quarters

CHAPTER 6 - QUARTERS

* * *

_I hope you'll enjoy the rest of the story! Special mention to cdaye8184, thank you for all the kind words! XOXO :)_

* * *

We were directed into the Training Center, which will be our home until the day of the Game. Our team occupies the entire 12th floor of the tower, and everything in this place is even richer than the tribute train or the Remake Center.

I began to have a more positive outlook for this trip since the opening ceremony. I can sense that everyone else's spirits are lifted as well, especially Effie who is now nearly hopping as she walks and whose tone became more high-pitched than ever. It's easy to understand why; District 12 is practically ignored each year because the tributes barely make any impression in the pre-Game events, and their skills in the arena are no match for the others as well. This year, however, our stylists created a miracle and gave us a definite advantage over the others. Everyone in the Capitol will be keeping track of us now after that fiery debut.

For myself, however, my optimism is not just confined to the outcome of the Game or getting enough sponsors to stay alive. Ever since Katniss kissed me, my thoughts had been chaotic, trying to decide where to go from there. The idea itself is enough to keep my spirits high.

As Effie gives us a tour of our "home", she talks excitedly about her efforts in winning some sponsors for us. "I don't even have to catch their attention! As soon as they saw me, they rushed to me and asked me a million questions about the two of you!" she says, obviously thrilled.

"I've been very mysterious, though," she proceeds, before suddenly stopping in her tracks and turning to face us. "Because of course, Haymitch hasn't bothered to tell me your strategies. But I've done my best with what I had to work with. How Katniss sacrificed herself for her sister. How you've both successfully struggled to overcome the barbarism of your district."

She continued walking through the hallway. "This is the kitchen... dining room..." Effie said absentmindedly, still giddy from her recent success. I looked at Katniss, whose lips are locked in a thin line. Then I realized that Effie's comment about our district may have offended her. I certainly felt the same way, but I decide to let it go because Effie can be as clueless as a butterfly.

"Everyone has their reservations, naturally. You being from the coal district. But, I said, this was very clever of me," she paused and stopped walking to look at us again. Probably to give us the full impact of what she has to say, I guessed. "I said: Well, if you put enough pressure on coal it turns to pearls!" she says, smiling brightly at us.

I have to smile back; I'd really hate to bring her spirits down. But I do know that what she said is wrong on all counts. Coal doesn't turn to pearl, or any kind of gem for that matter. _Did they believe her? _Effie, still clueless, seemed to appreciate my reaction and continued her story. "Unfortunately, I can't seal the sponsors for you. Only Haymitch can do that." She says, with a touch of remorse in her voice.

"But don't worry, I'll get him to the table at gunpoint if necessary!" She continues, and I felt another wave of relief. Effie's really determined to get us sponsors, and I immediately felt better at this thought. Now we have someone solid on our team. Maybe she can grind Haymitch to work hard on saving our lives.

Effie stops in front of a huge door. "This will be your quarters, Katniss." She says, pointing to the door and opening it to reveal the interior. "Make yourself comfortable! I'll collect you later for dinner."

"Thank you, Effie." I hear Katniss mumble, before turning slightly to nod a silent goodbye at me and disappearing into her room. Effie gestured me forward, and stopped at another room two doors away from Katniss's.

"And... here's your quarters Peeta." She says, before gently patting my shoulders and turning away.

"Effie, thank you for your efforts." I say, smiling at her. She smiled back. "Anything for my best tributes!" She added, and flitted away.

* * *

As I walked around my quarters, I realized that it is filled with all the luxuries that only the Capitol can offer. The huge bed at the center of room is so soft and comfortable. I imagined that I could lie there forever, if only my thoughts aren't so distracted by the knowledge of dying soon in the arena. The bathroom has so many gadgets: a shower, which can be controlled to provide the right water temperature, scents, shampoo, oils, and massaging sponges. There is no need to use a towel: there are automatic heaters to blow-dry the body, and another one that dries the hair.

Even the walls are not the normal painted ones. It can actually be controlled to show different scenes - the night sky, busy roads, calm greenery - and there is a mouthpiece where I can order whatever food I want from the menu. Even the closet can be programmed to something that fits my style.

I marveled at all these as I removed all makeup from my face and body, before settling for a comfortable pair of pants and shirt. It fit me well, outlining the muscles on my body that developed from years of carrying loads from the market, and I briefly wondered if the Capitol managed to get us our sizes even without asking for it. Or maybe our stylists were asked on that one - after all, they were the ones who prodded our bodies for so many hours.

Just as I did on the train, I began to grew restless. I grab a jacket, stepped out of my room, and walked the hallways, going nowhere in particular. I saw Cinna in a relatively small, open room that has a huge window on one side, providing a view of the outside world. I decide to thank him. He is, after all, one of the brains behind our success earlier, and he is also the one who came up with the idea of Katniss and I holding hands. I need to thank him for that.


	7. Avox

CHAPTER 7 - AVOX

* * *

"Cinna," I start, moving towards him. His back is turned towards the door frame, and he is looking intently outside. He turned at the sound of my voice. "Peeta," he replies.

"I just wanted to thank you. For the costumes. It's great, really," I continue, and I wondered if he knows the depth of my gratitude. For the costume, for the instruction to hold hands, for the opportunity to be close to Katniss even for a moment.

He smiles. "You're welcome. You deserve it. Years of being overlooked... it's about time to give your district something to be proud of."

_Are there really some people in the Capitol who care about the people in the districts? _I thought, because as he said those words, I can feel how genuine he really is in helping us.

"Have you taken a tour of this entire floor?" he asks me.

"Effie showed us some parts, but I don't think I've explored every room."

"Come on, then. I'll show you the best place in this floor." he says, turning towards the door. I follow him, deciding that I actually like him. Cinna seems almost... normal.

* * *

Cinna leads me to a staircase at the end of the hallway. I've seen this earlier but I didn't bother to walk up, thinking that it's prohibited. But since Cinna is a Capitol person, I follow him upstairs and discovered that it leads to the rooftop. _Top floor privileges_, I think.

The rooftop is an open area where we are provided with a stunning view of the Capitol. There is a railing surrounding it that allows us to see the streets below. I walk around, fascinated by the beauty of the rooftop, and discovered that it has a garden with various trees and potted plants and wind chimes on the opposite side. The cold wind makes everything more perfect.

I walk back to Cinna, who is watching me from the railings. "Are we allowed up here?" I ask.

"Of course. You are free to go here anytime you want." Cinna replies.

I lean across the railing. "Why?" I ask. "I mean, isn't the Capitol worried that the tributes will just jump here before the Games? It's an easier way out, after all."

Cinna laughs. "Well, I'm sure the past tributes thought of that. But... it's perfectly safe here. You can't even fall down even if you try to jump."

I look at him, perplexed. "I don't understand."

Cinna points outward. "Force field." he says. "The entire rooftop is protected by that, so if you try to jump, you will just be thrown back up."

After experiencing first-hand all the futuristic gadgets in my room, I shouldn't be surprised at all. "Oh." was also I can say for a moment. "I guess the Capitol's really concerned with our welfare."

"Come on, let's go back. Dinner will be served in a few." He says with a smile on his face. I follow him to the dining room, where we see Portia.

"Hello Portia," I say, smiling at her.

"Hi! Effie went out to call Katniss, they should be here in a few minutes." she says.

I nod, walking to the balcony. After spending a few minutes on the rooftop, I quickly realized that a fresh air is what I need to soothe me. The two head stylists follows me, and we all stand together in the balcony. Portia, I can sense, is still hyped up with the success of our show.

"I'm really excited about the upcoming interview! We'll make a splash again!" she exclaims. I smile, thankful that these people are so dedicated to making us look good in front of the Capitol. We need all the help we can get.

I hear footsteps approaching. I looked at the doorway and saw Effie and Katniss enter the dining area. Katniss and I exchange a brief look, and my heart thudded erratically in response. We walk back inside and proceeded to take our places on the table.

As we sit, a man in white tunic gives stemmed glasses of wine to each of us. I don't really drink wine, but I decided that to taste it anyway. I can see Katniss doing the same, watching as her face subtly crumpled as she took a sip.

Haymitch arrives in time for the arrival of the food. I sort of expected him to look wasted as he normally is, which is why I am surprised that he showed up clean and more sober than ever. I felt glad. Maybe he really will stick to our deal.

"You two did a really great job on their costumes," Haymitch comments, addressing Cinna and Portia. "It's the best debut I've ever seen."

Cinna and Portia smiles at the compliment. "Thank you. It's our job to make them unforgettable." Cinna says. "And Peeta and Katniss also did great! The way they smiled at everyone, the entire Capitol loved it! They made the costumes we made even more fierce." Portia added.

"That entrance was really wonderful!" Effie chimes in. "Now I'm less worried about the training and interview. If you can do what you did out there, we'll have a great lineup of sponsors in no time!"

She's so optimistic about us, I think. "Thank you again. All of you." I say, looking at their faces.

* * *

Our dinner of mushroom soup, tomatoes, bitter greens, beef, noodles, and cheese were served before us. I don't hesitate to eat, suddenly aware of my growling stomach. _Another feast. _I busied myself in eating while listening intently to them talk about our training plans, interview costumes, and other strategies that they wish to maintain. I look at Katniss, and see that her eyes are fixed on the plate before her, and she has not uttered a word since she came here.

As we were eating, a huge cake was served before us. I was attracted to its unique presentation, noticing that the icing was created in such a way as to give an illusion of a fire. Then the server held out a lighter and my eyes took in the sight of the fire's blaze on the edge of the cake. _They probably put alcohol there_, I thought.

"What makes it burn? Is it alcohol?" I look away from the cake to check her reaction, and sure enough, her face registers admiration and a bit of worry. _What will she be worried about? _I ask myself. "The last thing I wa-" she continues, then paused mid-sentence as she looks at the server's face. "Oh! I know you!" Katniss blurts out.

I look at the server. The girl has porcelain white skin and red hair, almost like the flames that engulfed the cake's edges. I realized that everyone at the table stopped talking and is staring at her incredulously. Katniss must realize this, because as soon as she said those words, anxiety clouded her features. The girl quickly denies what Katniss said and fled from the room.

_How can she know a server of the Capitol? _I wondered. But I am quick to realize that this is not good news for anyone. "Don't be ridiculous, Katniss. How could you possibly know an Avox?" Effie says rather harshly. "The very thought." she added, looking at Katniss as though she committed a crime.

"What's an Avox?" Katniss pressed.

"Someone who committed a crime. They cut her tongue so she can't speak." I hear Haymitch say. "She's probably a traitor of some sort. Not likely you'd know her."

So that's why their faces are masked by that disgusted look. I felt a chill run through me as I understood why our servers never spoke a word to us. All of them must be an Avox.

"And even if you did, you're not to speak to one of them unless it's to give an order. Of course, you don't really know her." Effie continues.

It is a very degrading punishment. To have your tongue cut and live as a worker of the Capitol. To never be able to speak to anyone again, and be required to follow all orders. It's worse than being a prisoner. I tried to register the implications of this, and I realize that Katniss may be in trouble if she does know the girl. Which, after one look at her, I'm sure she does.

"No, I guess not, I just -" Katniss stammers. I know that she has never been good with words; she doesn't like to speak much, and she barely even smiles at anyone. And it's not helping in this situation. If they find out that she knows the girl, what will they do to her?

I snap my fingers, as though remembering something. "Delly Cartwright." I exclaimed. "That's who it is. I kept thinking she looked familiar as well. Then I realize she's a dead ringer for Delly." I lie, hoping that Katniss will get it.

Surprise crosses her features for a brief moment, but she recovered fast and accepted my suggestion. "Of course, that's who I was thinking of. It must be the hair."

I smile inwardly. The Avox girl does not have a strand of resemblance to my childhood friend, Delly. "Something about the eyes too," I added for good measure.

Katniss nods, running out of words already. How can a girl so brave have so little words to offer? Maybe that's where they got the saying 'silent but deadly'.

The anxious air immediately relaxed. "Oh well, if that's all it is." I hear Cinna say. "And yes, the cake has spirits, but all the alcohol has burned off. I ordered it specially in honor of your fiery debut."

* * *

We eat the cake - which is very delicious - and went to the sitting room for the replay of the opening ceremonies. I made mental notes of our other competitors, who stood out and who didn't. When Katniss and I appeared on screen, my breathing stopped. I can hear the "ahhhh!" from our own team, murmuring praises as they take in our entrance. My eyes remain glued to Katniss as our chariot moved forward. She looked... ravishing.

"Whose idea is the hand holding?" Haymitch asks.

"Cinna's," Portia responds. "Just the perfect touch of rebellion. Very nice." Haymitch commented.

I wondered about Haymitch's comment for a while before deciding to let it go. It never came to my mind that our hand-holding will be taken as an act of rebellion, but now I see why. While everyone's hostile with their co-tribute, Katniss and I stood united.

"Tomorrow morning is the first training session. Meet me for breakfast and I'll tell you exactly how I want you to play it. Now go get some sleep while the grown-ups talk." Haymitch instructs us. I nodded, and turned to follow Katniss who is now moving toward the door.

* * *

We walk in silence until we reach the door of her room. I can see that she has no intention of prolonging our moment, but I decided that I don't want her to go in yet. I thought of something to say, then remembered the encounter during dinner. I am intrigued by her story, and I decide to use it as an excuse to stay with her for a while longer.

"So, Delly Cartwright. Imagine finding her lookalike here." I start. She must know the meaning behind my sentence and what I'm asking from her. I watch her confused face and waited for her to speak up. She didn't, and I assumed that it's because her story is a dangerous one. I thought of the perfect place for her to say it; the wind chimes in the rooftop's garden will offer us the perfect barrier from listening ears... or cameras.

"Have you been on the roof?" I ask her, but I know the answer immediately. I doubt that she went out of her room earlier, much less explore our living quarters. "Cinna showed me. You can practically see the whole city." I say, remembering how struck I am by its beauty. "The wind's a bit loud, though." I added. I translate my own words to: 'you can tell me the story in the rooftop, no one will hear us there.'

She understood what I'm trying to say, and she asked the same thing I asked Cinna earlier. "Can we just go up?"

"Sure, come on." I suddenly felt giddy, and walked ahead to the staircase. I felt the desire to hold her hand again, but I contained myself. I can hear her footsteps behind me. We walk to the railing and I watched her intently as she looked at the streets below.

"I ask Cinna why they let us up here. Weren't they worried that some of the tributes might decide to jump over the side?"

"What'd he say?" Katniss asks.

"You can't." I stated, and demonstrated to her why. I held my hand out and felt my nerves tingle as I touched the tip of my hand to the force field. I quickly draw it back. "Some kind of electric field throws you back on the roof."

"Always worried about our safety," she comments. I smile. We thought the same thing. "Do you think they're watching us now?"

I think about this, remembering the way I feel imprisoned inside, and why I feel a lot better here, with the cold breeze. Real air. "Maybe." I respond. "Come see the garden," I tell her, leading her to the other side. I want her to tell me the story, to trust me with it. Isn't that the first step to friendship? And we have to do it now, while Effie, Haymitch, and the stylists are still busy talking to themselves.

Katniss took in the scenery, and I know that she'll appreciate the garden, probably more than I do. She examined a blossom as I patiently wait for her to start talking. The wind chimes tinkled with the wind.

"We were hunting in the woods one day. Hidden, waiting for game," she said in a whisper.

"You and your father?" I whisper back, feeling almost certain that its not, but still asking it because I don't want to accept the other option.

"No. My friend Gale." she responds honestly. My heart tightened in response. How many times did I imagine the two of them together? Alone in the woods... they must share something special. "Suddenly all the birds stopped singing at once. Except one. As if it were giving a warning call." she continues.

"And then we saw her. I'm sure it was the same girl. A boy was with her. Their clothes were tattered. They had dark circles under their eyes from no sleep. They were running as if their lives depended on it."

Katniss fell silent as she remembered that day. I waited. "The hovercraft appeared out of nowhere. I mean, one moment the sky was empty and the next it was there. It didn't make a sound, but they saw it. A net dropped down on the girl and carried her up, fast, so fast like the elevator. They shot some sort of spear through the boy. It was attached to a cable and they hauled him up as well. But I'm certain he was dead. We heard the girl scream once. The boy's name, I think. Then it was gone, the hovercraft. Vanished into thin air. And the birds began to sing again, as if nothing had happened."

I look at her, stunned. The story is dreadful, and I felt thankful that I had covered for her in the dining table. "Did they see you?" I ask Katniss, knowing that it may be a worse scenario if they did.

"I don't know." she responds. "We were under a shelf of rock."

I kept silent, not knowing what to say anymore. I noticed that she has goosebumps on her arm and how her lean frame shivered slightly. From the cold air or from her story, I'm not sure which. "You're shivering."

She nods. I take off my jacket, knowing that this will at least provide a layer of protection for her. I felt her take a step back just as I was about to offer it to her. I wondered if she doesn't want me to be affectionate, and I hesitated briefly. But she stopped, so I smiled lightly and gently put my jacket on her shoulders.

"They were from here?" I ask her, wanting to hear her voice more. I secured the button at her neck so that the jacket won't fall off. _Her skin feels so smooth under my touch. _

She nods again. "Where do you suppose they were going?" I press.

"I don't know that." Katniss replies. It's odd. Why will they want to leave the Capitol? Their life here is so comfortable as it is, I can't imagine what would trigger them to leave. "Or why they would leave here." I hear her add. Katniss's thoughts are in sync with mine again.

I try to imagine what their motivations will be and placed myself in their situation. I recall how clueless most of them are, and I wondered if there's anything they know to do other than to decorate themselves. I doubt it, knowing that they get everything they need from the districts. I decide that that kind of life would be dull, empty. I wouldn't want to live that way.

"I'd leave here." I blurt out. Then I realized that I said it a little too loudly and someone may hear. I look around and laugh carelessly. "I'd go home now if they let me. But you have to admit, the food's prime." I finish, trying to cover up for my slip.

I felt the cool wind brush against my bare arm and remembered that Katniss might be getting cold. "It's getting chilly, we better go in." I tell her, reluctant to go but addressing her needs first. When we get inside, I decide to ask her something that's been bothering me since she began her story. I already know the answer, of course, but I just want to hear her talk again and discover through her words if there's something going on between them.

"Your friend Gale. He's the one who took your sister away at the reaping?" I say, deciding it's the safest way to start.

"Yes." She replies, her eyes looking distracted. "Do you know him?"

"Not really. I hear the girls talking about him a lot." I say. It's true. Gale has that kind of look that makes women swoon. But he doesn't seem to entertain them, and like me, has eyes only for Katniss. Which makes me more jealous. How can I compete with that? "I thought he was your cousin or something. You favor each other." _It's a lot better if they're relatives, _I thought.

"No, we're not related." My heart dropped. _That's it?_

I nod, feeling my mood turn sour. She didn't comment on what I said about the other girls, and she doesn't volunteer other information. "Did he come to say goodbye to you?" I ask.

"Yes." She says. I can feel her eyes on me but I purposely avoid her gaze. Did she see through me already? "So did your father. He brought me cookies."

This pulled me up short. I did not expect that coming. I raise my eyebrows, remembering my father's promise when he said goodbye to me.

"Really? Well he likes you and your sister. I think he wishes he had a daughter instead of a houseful of boys." I reply, trying to lighten my mood.

But I know the reason my father came to her to give the cookies, and why he promised me to look after Katniss's family. I can tell that he was never really able to move on from that heartbreak so long ago. But I doubt that Katniss knows this. Or does she? "He knew your mother when they were kids." I add.

"Oh, yes. She grew up in town." Katniss replies. She never volunteers to much information.

We stopped at the door of her room, and I see her removing my jacket. "See you in the morning, then."

"See you," I reply, before turning away and walking to my room.

* * *

I thought of the things she told me in the garden and discovered that I'm more concerned about her mentioning Gale than the story itself. What if they're together? I'm sure that Katniss is not the type who would brag about it; I find her a very discreet woman. There's no telling. I lay in my bed, not bothering to change my clothes, and stared at the ceiling.

_Oh well, at least we're talking to each other now. That's a start, right? _I sigh and closed my eyes, keeping them tightly together.

I remembered wrapping her shoulders with my jacket, trying to feel the touch of her skin on my fingertips. And then I remember that softness of her lips as it touched my cheek. Has she done that to Gale?

I covered my face with my hands. It doesn't matter whether she's with Gale or not. My plan will remain the same, either way. I would want her to live.


	8. Training for Battle

**CHAPTER 8 **

**TRAINING FOR BATTLE**

* * *

_This will take some getting used to. _

I opened my eyes, wondering why my mom didn't wake me up yet when the tranquil colors of dawn start to break into my consciousness. I immediately realize where I am, mostly because my body is lying somewhere that is way too comfortable to even resemble my own bed at home. Rubbing my eyes, I get up from the bed to take a bath and prepare myself for the day ahead.

Today is the first day of training. I have never experienced fighting with other people. The closest thing I could possibly get to a brawl is with my mother – but that doesn't count either, because the fight is one-sided. It's not like I'll do the same thing in the arena: stand my ground and let them beat me to pulps, but as I think through it, I thought that maybe my mother's beatings have been my own sort of training to withstand physical pain.

There's really nothing to be excited about. In fact I'm dreading this day because really, what do I have to offer? But I welcome the next few days with open arms, and I intend to take it very seriously since this is my only chance to learn a few things myself before fighting a real battle in the arena.

When I got back from the bathroom, I found out that someone had placed today's outfit at the foot of my bed. Tight black pants, long-sleeved burgundy tunic, and leather shoes. _All ready for battle. _

I left my room and nearly bumped into Haymitch on the corridor. He smiled as he took in my outfit. "Ready for training?"

"You could say that," I say, smiling back. We enter the dining room and see Katniss already there, eating. This caught me a bit by surprise; she almost never came first, Effie always had to fetch her in her room. _Did she not sleep well? _I ask myself. Or maybe her hunger took over so she went here directly.

I see a brief look of irritation cross her face as she looked at me. I realized that we're wearing the same outfit – probably under Haymitch's instructions – and despite last night's talk, I can't help feeling a pang of sadness at the thought that she doesn't want my company. I sit on the table as a big serving of breakfast was given to me and I eat eagerly. There's nothing worse than to face training with a growling stomach, anyway.

* * *

The three of us ate in silence for a few minutes. I try not to think too much of my conversation last night with Katniss, as it only brings back my discomfort about her relationship with Gale. I see Haymitch take a bottle from his pocket and drink on it hungrily. "So let's get down to business," he began. "Training. First off, if you like, I'll coach you separately. Decide now."

I look at Katniss, because if it were up to me, I'd want Haymitch to coach us together. Like a team. Because at least this will give me the excuse to spend time with her. I kept silent though, watching her, willing her to say the words.

"Why would you coach us separately?" Katniss asks.

"Say you had a secret skill you might not want the other to know about." Haymitch replies.

Katniss looked at me. Of course I already know what she can do; my father is a regular customer and I eat with him the squirrels that they trade. She probably knows this too, and I guessed that she might be looking at me because I'm the one who could have those secret skills.

But I don't.

"I don't have any secret skills," I say honestly. "And I already know what yours is, right? I mean, I've eaten enough of your squirrels."

She looks at me briefly before making up her mind. "You can coach us together."

I heave a sigh of relief, glad that she did not request to have a separate training. I nod at Haymitch to show that it's also what I want.

"All right. So give me an idea of what you can do." He replies.

Shame coursed through me. We're not yet at the arena, but I feel like a weakling already. "I can't do anything." I tell them. "Unless you count baking bread." Which, after years of training, is obviously the only thing I'm good at.

"Sorry I don't." Haymitch says. "Katniss. I already know you're handy with a knife."

"Not really. But I can hunt. With a bow and arrow."

"And you're good?"

Katniss paused for a while, thinking how to answer that one. _As if she has to think that one through, _I thought. It's obvious from her kills that she's a first-class hunter. My father said so himself. "I'm all right." She replies.

I look at her incredulously. _Is she serious? All right doesn't even cover it. It's an understatement. _She can't undermine her own capabilities; Haymitch has to know what she is capable of to give him a fair idea of how to help her_. _The words are out of my mouth before I could think twice about it.

"She excellent. My father buys her squirrels. He always comments on how the arrows never pierce the body. She hits every one in the eye. It's the same with the rabbits she sells the butcher. She can even bring down deer."

"What are you doing?" She asks, with a hint of surprise and annoyance in her tone.

"What are you doing?" I counter. She has to know that I'm on her side, that I'm only helping her, which is what I will be doing for as long as I live. "If he's going to help you, he has to know what you're capable of. Don't underrate yourself."

"What about you?" she continues. My words obviously got her the wrong way. How could she even think that I want to hurt her? "I've seen you in the market. You can lift hundred-pound bags of flour. Tell him that. That's not nothing."

I am taken aback. I have always thought that she's indifferent to me, that she doesn't even know who I am until the reaping. Which could well be the case, but I'm still surprised that she noticed me in the market. Or maybe it's just coincidence. Still… what is she thinking? Carrying flour is never an advantage in the games.

"Yes, and I'm sure the arena will be full of bags of flour for me to chuck at people. It's not like being able to use a weapon. You know it isn't." I know I'm starting to get upset. My goal in the arena is to protect her even though I don't really have the skills do it. Of course, I know that she can take care of herself in the arena, but if anything bad were to happen, I want to be able to at least help her, in whatever way I can. It makes me sad – and mad at myself – that I don't even have that capacity. I'm not even certain myself that I can live long enough to do my goal. But I will try and fight my hardest. For her.

"He can wrestle," Katniss continues. "He came in second in our school competition last year, only after his brother."

If I wasn't too upset with myself, I would have been swallowed up by the thought that she even remembers that. Or that she knows that I was part of that competition. "What use is that?" I say aloud. "How many times have you seen someone wrestle to death?"

It's true. I may have a bit of physical strength, but in the arena, skill in handling weapons is the key to survive. I can work with knives, but I've never used them for anything else other than for baking or cutting sacks. What good is physical strength if they can simply hurl a spear through my heart? I doubt that I could even come close the competitors to challenge them to a physical match.

"There's always hand-to-hand combat." Katniss insists. "All you need is to come up with a knife, and you'll at least stand a chance. If I get jumped, I'm dead!"

It's funny how Katniss and I view things differently. And it's weirder how little she thinks of her skill.

"But you won't!" I reply, angry at the thought that Katniss is already thinking of defeat. I will not let her. And she has to know how much of an advantage her skill is."You'll be living up in some tree eating raw squirrels and picking off people with arrows." Then, remembering how my mother bid me farewell, I continue, "You know what my mother said to me when she came to say good-bye, as if to cheer me up, she says maybe District 12 will finally have a winner. Then I realized, she didn't mean me, she meant you!"

I told her this so that she will know that people out there are rooting for her. That they believe in her capacity in the same way that I do, and she has high chances of winning this thing. She has to believe it to accomplish it.

"Oh, she meant you," Katniss said stubbornly.

"She said, 'She's a survivor, that one. She is.'" I tell her. How can she be so hard to convince?

Finally, a see a layer of doubt in Katniss's eyes and I see that I have made my mark. She paused for a while, clearly at a loss for words.

"But only because someone help me." She says quietly.

It's my turn to be silent, and my eyes wander to the roll that she's holding in her hands, remembering that night from long ago. Up to this point, I never knew that she remembers it too. Somehow, I have made myself believe that she doesn't even know that I'm that boy. I shrug, trying to look unconcerned.

"People will help you in the arena. They'll be tripping over each other to sponsor you." I say confidently, as I thought of the Capitol's stares and hoots of love for Katniss. Not to mention the way the other tributes looked at her too.

"No more than you," she responds.

It may be no use arguing with her. She's stubborn when she sets her mind on something, and somehow I feel that she will never really believe me when I tell her how people look at her adoringly. Except for the females, of course, who look at her with envy. I roll my eyes at Haymitch.

"She has no idea, the effect she can have." I tell him. Surely he sees that too.

"Well then." Haymitch finally says, interjecting after a long pause, and Katniss finally ran out of arguments. "Well, well, well. Katniss, there's no guarantee they'll be bows and arrows in the arena, but during your private session with the Gamemakers, show them what you can do. Until then, stay clear of archery. Are you any good at trapping?"

"I know a few basic snares."

"That may be significant in terms of food. And Peeta," Haymitch says, looking at me now. "She's right. Never underestimate strength in the arena. Very often, physical power tilts the advantage to a player. In the Training Center, they will have weights, but don't reveal how much you can lift in front of the other tributes." I nod. "The plan's the same for both of you. Spend time trying to learn something you don't know. Throw a spear. Swing a mace. Learn to tie a decent knot. Save showing what you're best at until your private sessions. Are we clear?"

Katniss and I both nod. "One last thing. In public, I want you to by each other's side every minute." Haymitch says. I start to complain, wanting to tell him that that may not really be a good idea. If people would see us like that, the Careers would surely try to target us immediately so that no other alliance could be formed in the arena. That way, they can easily pick off the other competitors one by one. The Careers hate the thought of having other alliances forming.

But Haymitch is bent on continuing his plan. "Every minute!" he roared. "It's not open to discussion! You agreed to do as I said! You will be together, you will appear amiable to each other. Now get out. Meet Effie at the elevator at ten for training."

I stay seated at the table, too stunned to even move, but Katniss walked off and banged her door loudly. She's clearly very upset with the arrangement. I did not want it that way too, but somehow, seeing how forcefully Katniss hated the thought… I sunk back in my chair, defeated.

"Why did you do that, Haymitch?" I ask him.

"Trust me, boy." He says, winking at me before giving a long swig of his bottle. "This will keep both of you alive."

I wanted to trust him, because really, who is there to trust other than Haymitch? But I need to know his plans. And only one of us can live. "What are you planning?"

"Oh I don't have to tell you about it. You'll operate well enough even without knowing." He says mysteriously before leaving the room.

I stare at his retreating figure, annoyed at how he won't even disclose his plans for us. I stand up and walk out of the room.

I need fresh air.

* * *

Once I've cleared my mind in the rooftop, I head back downstairs to meet Effie. It's almost ten, and training will start soon. I'm more nervous about seeing Katniss than going to the training, knowing that she is repulsed by the idea of the two of us acting like friends in front of the other tributes.

I spot Effie on her way to the elevator and she greeted me a chirpy "Good morning!" I greet her back, glad that at least someone seems happy to see me. A few minutes later, I see Katniss walking towards us, looking a bit lost in thought and biting her nails, but she eventually stops when she sees us.

"You two will be wonderful in training, I can feel it!" says Effie. Probably her attempt to motivate us. "Just learn as much as you can... you'll survive!"

"Thanks Effie, we'll keep that in mind." I tell her.

Katniss remains speechless. _Is she still mad about the arrangement that we are forced into? _I don't really mind spending time with her; in fact, it's something I would really want. But I can't help thinking that she doesn't really want us to be friends. _Maybe it's because she doesn't want to be friends, only to have me dead later on, _I reason out. I hoped it was indeed the reason.

Effie eventually left when we reach the Training Center. We are ushered into a huge gymnasium filled with all kinds of obstacle courses and weapons. The stations are definitely enough to keep us busy for the next three days. We walk inside and I immediately notice how Katniss and I are the only one dressed alike. Haymitch must have briefed Cinna and Portia last night about his plans.

We were the last to arrive, and we immediately join the circle. I notice that most of the tributes are trying to sneak glances at the two of us, possibly wondering why we're dressed like a team, and possibly still not over the success of our debut.

The head trainer named Atala begins explaining our schedule as soon as we joined the circle. She reads out the names of the skill stations before reminding us that we are prohibited from fighting with other tributes. I make a swift note of all the tributes. Some are noticeably large, while others have a smaller build. I hear Atala say that we may now start the training, and I want for Katniss to make a move. I will go wherever she wants to.

She doesn't, and when I look at her, I see that her eyes are following the Careers, who have proceeded to show off their skills already. I gently nudge her to consciousness. "Where would you like to start?" I ask her.

She stays silent a moment longer before replying. "Suppose we tie some knots."

"Right you are." I tell her. I imagine how boring that must be for her. We walk to the station, and we are greeted by a man who seems eager to have students.

"Oh good! At least you two know that knot-tying is also a basic skill that can save your life," he tells us before proceeding to teach us the basics. Its obvious though that Katniss knows it already, but I don't, so I do my best to keep up with her and remember everything that the trainer showed us. The trainer also notices that she is not a beginner student, so he asks her if she knows how to make a snare before showing us how to make a trap to have a competitor dangle from a tree.

We did knots for an hour or so before Katniss told me that we should probably move on to camouflage. I eagerly follow her, actually excited about it. At least, its something that I know of. I enjoyed mixing the readily available materials, thinking that if it comes down to it, this will be my final defense in the arena. The trainer praises the work that I've been doing on my arm.

"I do the cakes," I tell Katniss lightly, suddenly wanting her to know that I'm the one making the cakes that her sister admires everyday. Because it's the one thing I can be proud of.

"The cakes? What cakes?" she asks absentmindedly, and I see that she is once again watching the other tributes.

"At home. The iced ones, for the bakery," I continue.

She turns to me and inspects the design that I've been making on my arm, which illuminates sunlight in the woods. I worked mostly on my imagination because I've never really been in the woods before, but I think that this is the safest bet I can have about the arena's landscape. They almost always have trees. And sunlight.

"It's lovely. If only you could frost someone to death." Katniss says icily.

_What is wrong with her? _Maybe I was wrong when I thought that she hated this arrangement because one of us we'll end up dead (and I intend it to be me). Maybe she really despises me. My heart sank.

"Don't be so superior. You can never tell what you'll find in the arena." I retort, wanting to hide the pain her words caused me.

"Say it's actually a gigantic cake," I begin, in an attempt to lighten the mood.

She cut me off mid-sentence. "Say we move on."

I was a fool to think that she'll even want to be friends with me. So I simply nod and followed her silently throughout the day.

* * *

We have developed a pattern in training - go to one station, learn all the basics, master as much of the skill as possible in the limited time we have, move on. I remained silent and said as little as possible, afraid that she'll end up getting more annoyed at me if I continue to try to be friends with her.

That night, as we were walking to our rooms after a lot of grilling from Effie and Haymitch about our day, I tell her, "Someone ought to get Haymitch a drink." Surprisingly, she laughed at this, but immediately recovered and said, "Don't. Don't let's pretend when there's no one around."

_That's it, _I thought. She said it already, making it clear that we cannot be truly friends. All I can have is the pretend friendship that she grudgingly offers me in front of the other tributes, and even that is so hard to keep up because she's so cold and stiff.

"All right Katniss," I tell her, not wanting her to see how badly hurt I am with what she said.

* * *

The last day of training almost gave me a nervous breakdown. It's the day of our private session with the Gamemakers, and while Haymitch already told us that this is our chance to reveal our skills, I am still not sure that I can impress them. How can carrying weights have an effect on them? That's probably the most boring performance they'll ever see.

I manage to act calm until all the other tributes were called and there's just me and Katniss left. When I hear my name being called, I rise slowly, wanting to wish Katniss luck. But I bit my tongue because I know that it will get me nowhere. So I stand up, preparing to walk straight to the door without acknowledging her, when I hear her voice.

"Remember what Haymitch said about being sure to throw the weights." She reminded me.

I look back, stunned. "Thanks, I will." I tell her. "You... shoot straight." I wanted to add something more, but I decided that that could be pushing my luck too far.

As I left and opened the door to face the Gamemakers, there's only one thing clear to me: Katniss is a very complicated being to understand.


	9. Private Session

**CHAPTER 9**

**PRIVATE SESSION**

* * *

The Gamemakers barely noticed me as I walked across the room. I look in their direction, wondering if I should introduce myself or something, but since almost all of them are too preoccupied on their food and as they sing, I walk straight to the weights section without acknowledging them.

I rub my hands together as I felt that they are nearly numb from nervousness. _You can do this, _I think. I pick up my first one – a 50 pound weight – intending to start slowly just to get the hang of things and to avoid embarrassing myself in front of them in case my muscles suddenly grow weak. As I lift it from the rack, I am pleased to discover that I can still lift it as though it weighed no more than a kilo of rice. I carry it easily and head off to the dummies in the area, carefully eyeing my target.

Bam. One of the dummies became headless as the 50-pound ball crashed through it. I look back at the Gamemakers and breathed a sigh of relief as I saw that some of them are already starting to notice me. Encouraged, I walk back and pick up one that weighs 100 pounds, hurling it across the room and watching as it made a dent on the wall. I continue doing this, hoping that somehow they'd be impressed. As I hurl off these heavy objects, I allow myself to remember my pretend friendship with Katniss and her exasperation over our situation. I used these memories to propel myself forward – grabbing, lunging, throwing, destroying stuff. My private session turned out to serve a double purpose: first an attempt to please the Gamemakers, and second to release the sadness that is already threatening to engulf me.

"Okay Mr. Mellark. You're dismissed now." I hear one of the Gamemakers say.

I nod in their direction and head out to the door opposite the one I entered in. For a moment, I debated whether or not to wait for Katniss outside the Training Center, but I decided against it. Surely, she will not be pleased with that. Instead, I head to the elevator, intending to go straight to my room to freshen up.

Thankfully, I didn't encounter Effie or Haymitch when I went back to our floor, so I was able to go to my room without any interruption. _Where could they possibly be? _I wonder, before shrugging the thought away, glad to at least have the time to evaluate myself first before I see them. I tried to weigh in my chances now. _Will I get a score high enough to earn sponsors?_ I am aware that despite our fiery debut, I still need to follow through, so if I get a low score from training, they will certainly move on to other tributes. And that's something I can't afford, because at this point, the sponsors are my only hope to stay alive long enough to ensure Katniss's victory.

Katniss. Her name brought an onslaught of memories, and the pain rushed back again. More importantly, will I still be able to protect Katniss in the arena, given that she doesn't even want to acknowledge my presence? The task seems even more difficult now. I'm slowly thinking that I'm a deranged man; crazy enough to think of nothing but saving her life when I can't even have her friendship.

I sigh and instead try to concentrate on the calming effect of the shower on my body. I closed my eyes and faintly hear the sound of a door closing… Katniss's? A few seconds later, Haymitch and Effie's voice came up, knocking on her door, persuading her to talk to them. To no avail, of course.

Despite my disappointment, I head back to my room to change into a fresh set of clothes. "Go away!" I hear Katniss shout. Curiosity got the best of me. _What is wrong with Katniss? _It's something about her private session, perhaps, but I can't imagine what could make her so upset about it since she'll surely ace it with her bow and arrows.

Haymitch and Effie aren't there anymore when I went outside. I walked to her door and stopped in front of it, hearing her quiet sobs. I want to know what's going on, but I know that she will not want to talk to me and that she'd need to cry herself out. So I turn back around and slip quietly to the rooftop.

* * *

Hours later, I decide to come back down since I know that they'll be calling me for dinner soon enough. The rooftop has become sort of a safe haven for me now; it's my own form of escape from the stuffy air inside.

I climb down to find our stylists talking with Haymitch at the dining area. He sees me in an instant and gestures for me to come over.

"Come here, boy. We were just talking about your interviews tomorrow." Haymitch says.

I take my place at the table and smiled at them. "Working hard, eh?" I tell them. "Will there be more fire?"

The three of them laugh together. "Something like that." Cinna says.

I accept this easily. There is no reason to doubt our stylists' choice. "We're just waiting for Katniss before we start dinner so that I can ask you at the same time about your training." Haymitch tells.

"Okay," I reply, and I find myself looking excitedly at the door for Katniss. I want to know what happened in there and why she was so upset.

* * *

As Katniss walked to the table with Effie beside her, I see that her face is red and tear-streaked. She must have been crying for a long time, and I wondered what could trigger that sort of reaction in her. I watch as she carefully took her seat and studiously ignored us, keeping her eyes locked on her food.

"It's been very sunny today," Cinna commented.

"Yes. I hope this continues for the next few days. Augh. I hate the rain, it prevents me from wearing my long skirts!" Portia exclaimed.

"Maybe you should try another style," Cinna responds.

I didn't make an attempt to join their chitchat - I'm no good in fashion anyway - and instead kept my eyes focused on Katniss even as I was eating. Suddenly, as though feeling my stare, she looked up from her food and slowly locked eyes with me. I found this as my opportunity and raised my eyebrows, silently asking her what happened. She shook her head. She's still not willing to talk about it, but I catch myself feeling relieved that she didn't respond with a hostile look.

"Okay, enough small talk. Just how bad were you today?" Haymitch asked, wasting no time and immediately getting straight to the point.

I decide to give Katniss enough time to formulate her words; she's obviously still unwilling to speak. "I don't know that it mattered. By the time I showed up, no one even bothered to look at me." I say, recalling how drunk the Gamemakers seem to be as they sang. "They were singing some king of drinking song, I think. So, I threw around some heavy objects until they told me I could go."

Haymitch is certainly not going to let the moment pass. He nodded and turned to Katniss. "And you, sweetheart?" He asks, attempting to make her talk.

"I shot an arrow at the Gamemakers." Katniss replies.

So that's what it is. Her temper overruled her judgement again. Now that I know what caused her tears, I began to worry. What can that mean for her? Surely, it's will merit her some sort of punishment; the Gamemakers - and everyone else in the Capitol - cannot tolerate being treated like that. I can sense the tense aura that immediately followed in the table. Everyone seemed to stop eating and is now staring at her.

"You what?" Effie asks. The terror in her voice is so easy to detect.

"I shot an arrow at them." Katniss says. "Not exactly at them. In their direction. It's like Peeta said, I was shooting and they were ignoring me and I just... I just lost my head, so I shot an apple out of their stupid roast pig's mouth!" she said defiantly, annoyance coloring her tone again as she recalled her experience.

"And what did they say?" I hear Cinna ask. He's also worried.

"Nothing. Or I don't know. I walked out after that."

"Without being dismissed?" Effie asks again.

I already know the answer even before Katniss could speak. "I dismissed myself," she says.

"Well, that's that." Haymitch says, defeated.

"Do you think they'll arrest me?" Katniss asks him. "Doubt it. Be a pain to replace you at this stage."

Haymitch could be right, but the very thought that Katniss made herself so vulnerable sent a chill running through my spine. They could so easily kill her in the arena!

"What about my family?" Katniss continues. "Will they punish them?"

"Don't think so. Wouldn't make much sense. See they'd had to reveal what happened in the Training Center for it to have any worthwhile effect on the population. People would need to know what you did. But they can't since it's a secret, so it'd be a waste of effort. More likely they'll make your life hell in the arena." Haymitch responds honestly.

His last sentence confirmed my fears.

"Well, they've already promised to do that to us any way," I say, coming to Katniss's defense.

"Very true." Haymitch says as he continue to eat his food. Effie and the others are still dumbfounded. I hear Haymitch chuckle and I turn my head to look at him, wondering why he's laughing when Katniss had just exposed herself more to danger. "What were their faces like?"

For the first time, I saw Katniss smile genuinely. It's such a rare occurrence that I found myself staring at her again, memorizing the details of how her lips curled upward nicely and how that lightened her features considerably. "Shocked. Terrified. Uh, ridiculous some of them. One man tripped backward into a bowl of punch."

This time, I hear myself laughing with the others as I try to imagine the Gamemakers' faces. It looks pretty comical, indeed.

Effie, who has been quiet for a long time, suddenly speaks up. "Well, it serves them right." I turned to her, shocked. I never imagined that she'd say that. "It serves them right. It's their job to pay attention to you. And just because you came from District 12 is no excuse to ignore you. I'm sorry, but that's what I think."

I felt a genuine fondness for Effie as she proved yet again how she truly cares for us, even in her own way.

"I'll get a very bad score." Katniss comments.

Somehow, I disagree with Katniss's statement, thinking that she exhibited to them her accuracy in using the bow and arrow. And that's more than impressive. The nervousness start to slip back into my body, thinking of my own performance.

"Scores only matter if they're good, no one pays much attention to the bad or mediocre ones. For all they know, you could be hiding your talents to get a low score on purpose. People use that strategy." Portia says, trying to console her.

"I hope that's how people interpret the four I'll probably get. If that. Really, is anything less impressive than watching a person puck up a heavy ball and throw it a couple of yards. One almost landed on my foot." I tell them, trying to lighten the mood. I'm almost certain that despite what she did, Katniss will still impress them more than I did.

She grinned at me and my heart beat erratically in response. _What does that mean, and how long will that moment of camaraderie last?_

The atmosphere in the room has returned to normal, and we finish our dinner before going together at the sitting room to watch the announcement of our scores. My chest tightened.

The other tributes' scores averaged at 5, and as expected, the Careers bagged the higher scores of 8 to 10. Soon enough, our district number flashed on the screen and I see my picture.

Eight.

I had a moment of shock. _Eight? _The score itself made me want to jump in place, but I held my breath and waited for Katniss's.

Eleven.

Everybody in the room screamed of joy, and they were all suddenly congratulating her. I smile at her direction, but she was too preoccupied. She's in shock.

"There must be a mistake. How... how could that happen?" Katniss stammered.

"Guess they liked your temper." Haymitch answers. "They've got a show to put on. They need some players with some heat."

"Katniss, the girl who was on fire," says Cinna. hugging her tightly. "Oh, wait until you see your interview dress!"

I keep my feet planted on the ground and patiently waited for my turn to congratulate her. Both of us did well, and I couldn't be any happier. My earlier fears dissolved in an instant.

"Okay! Time to get some rest! You've had an exhausting day!" Effie orders us, beckoning us out of the room.

"Congratulations," I tell her, when the adults have finally cleared out and we are walking back to our rooms. "I knew you'd do well."

She smiles. "Congratulations, you were also great." She entered her room without another word, and I hurry to go to mine.

Back in my room, in the comfort of the four walls and soft sheets, I began to hope.


	10. Revelations

**CHAPTER 10**

**REVELATIONS**

* * *

Sundays have never been a rest day at home. For people in the Seam, this day is a break from the mines, but for me, Sunday is just like any other day at home which I spend in baking.

As I opened my eyes, I felt myself missing my old routine. The texture of the soft dough on my hands as I prepare to knead it; baking it in the oven; but most of all, decorating the cakes. My hands are itching to do those things again, and sadness start to envelope me as I thought how I will never be able to do that again.

The day of my death is coming.

I sigh and got out of bed, preparing myself for what I think will be a busy day. I know that Effie and Haymitch will be coaching us today for our interviews. I hurried to wash myself, wanting to speak to Haymitch before Katniss is up. It's still early though, and I'm sure I have a head start.

* * *

When I enter the dining room, I'm surprised to see that Haymitch is already up, looking more sober than ever. He greets me and beckons for me to sit beside him.

"Haymitch." I tell him. "I have something to tell you."

"I bet from your tone that's a serious one." he replies.

I smile at him, thinking if I'm that obvious. "Yes. Well..." I begin, picking a roll as I struggle to find my words. "I just need your help with something."

This sparks his curiosity. "What is it?"

Effie comes in before I could speak, and she commented on how I'm up so early. "I always am, Effie." I tell her, smiling.

"True!" she says before laughing. "A glass of wine please." she tells one of the Avox servers. "So what are you two talking about? Are you already starting on your training for the interview? Maybe I should wake up Katniss."

"Dont!" I exclaim. They look at me with questioning eyes. "You were about to tell me something earlier, right?" Haymitch asks. I wanted to talk to him alone, but it's probably best if Effie's also there just so she's informed. I owe her that much for being good to us.

"I want to be trained separately." I tell them.

* * *

There was a brief pause before Haymitch answers. "I thought you agreed to train together?"

"Did you get in a fight?" Effie asks.

"No, no. We didn't fight. It's just that..." I wanted to tell them how difficult it is for me. To want to be friends with her, getting that opportunity, and being treated with such hatred that I know I don't stand a chance. I want them to know how every fake conversation we have strikes deep inside me, and that it's even worse than not talking to her at all. But I can't, because somehow I think that they will just laugh at me if they knew how much I care for her.

I've thought my decision through and I knew that this is best for both of us. It would be better to let go of my illusion now that to suffer permanent damage from it later. "But I want to know what I can do in the arena to help Katniss."

The two of them look at me briefly, assessing if I'm serious or not. Haymitch guffaws. "Why will you want to do that?"

"Because we're from the same district?" I say lamely.

"No one ever saw that as a reason to help another tribute." Haymitch counters.

"Her family needs her."

"All tributes have their own families who would grieve if they die."

"I know..." I reply, letting my words trail off.

Haymitch studies my face closely. "Are you telling me that you're in love?" he says a bit too loudly, and I feel myself blushing in return. He laughs even louder. "Look at that blush!"

"What a revelation!" Effie exclaims. "Are you?"

They both look at me expectantly. When I didn't respond, Haymitch laughs again. "You really can't deny it, no one is that noble to offer up their own life for someone." he says.

It's true, and I know I can't argue on that one. "Please don't tell her." I beg them. "I don't want to complicate things. Just... let's drop the pretense of friendship already. It's clear that she doesn't want that, and it will be easier for both of us if we don't have to try so hard. Give me an idea of how I should play it in the arena. I'm not good in fighting, but I want to be able to protect her if necessary. Please, Haymitch."

He looks at me and nods, starting to take me seriously. "In that case, we'll have to work on a new plan."

I nod, grateful that they're willing to help. He's talking quietly now. "Just how did you fall in love with her in such a short time? And she hasn't been charming, at the very least! She's hostile to everyone."

Of course I know that. "I care for her even before the reaping." I say.

"Oh my!" Effie says, surprised.

"Okay, okay, we'll work something out. But I can't promise you that everything will work as planned. As you know, the arena is always unpredictable." Haymitch says.

"I know that. I just need some general clues on what I should and shouldn't do."

Effie checks the watch and gets up the table. "I have to wake her up now, we have a long day ahead!"

I watch as she leaves the room and turn my attention to my food. Haymitch and I eat in silence for a while.

"The angle I have been working on is right all along." he tells me.

"What angle? The pretend-to-be-friends-in-front-of-other-tributes thing?"

"Yes. When you two challenged me back at the tribute train, I knew you had some fight going in you. I thought it would be stronger to present you as a team, and it was. But this is even deeper than I expected."

I continue eating, trying to grasp his words. It still doesn't explain anything. Effie comes back to the table, and I know Katniss will be coming in at any minute. "I still don't understand. Why did you present us as friends?"

"Strategy," Haymitch replies. "It's a new angle, a fresh start. I'm not sure how much of it the Capitol will believe, but now that I know about your feelings, it seems to be one of my best idea yet."

"People may just see it as an alliance." Effie offers.

"Except that this alliance is more tight." Haymitch says. "Think you can work on that?"

I thought about this for a moment. "I'm not sure Katniss will want that. To be in an alliance with me. She barely even wants to be friends with me, that's why I requested to be trained separately. To make things easier for her." I say bitterly.

"Find a way to do it." Haymitch orders.

I sigh. This is harder than I thought.

* * *

I didn't hear her footsteps as she walked to the room. I didn't look up to her, but since she didn't come to the table immediately, I guessed that she headed straight at the food table.

"Okay, so we'll train them separately, right?" Effie says in a hushed voice. Haymitch nods. "He can start with you so you can lay down everything on the pipeline."

I nodded, thinking how Katniss will react to the news. I concluded that she will be relieved, maybe even happy. I heard her approaching the table, and she starts eating as soon as she sat down.

After a moment of silence, she looked up at us. "So, what's going on? You're coaching us on interviews today, right?"

"That's right," Haymitch answers.

"You don't have to wait until I'm done. I can listen and cat at the same time."

"Well, there's been a change of plans. About our current approach,"

"What's that?" Katniss asks.

I brace myself for the announcement, carefully watching her face. "Peeta has asked to be coached separately."

* * *

Katniss didn't speak immediately, and for a while I thought that she's going to reject the idea. But she instantly recovered. "Good. So what's the schedule?"

I was right about her reaction, that she will be relieved. "You'll each have four hours with Effie for presentation and four hours with me for content. You start with Effie, Katniss."

When Katniss left the room with Effie, Haymitch turned to me eagerly, wasting no time. "I don't really have to coach you that much. You can handle yourself well. You have good communication skills."

I wasn't sure about that, but I accepted it anyway. "Just act naturally," he continues. Then he stopped, weighing his next words carefully. "I think you should tell your feelings for Katniss during the interview."

This came unexpectedly. "Why will I do that? I told you, I don't want her to know. And I don't see how that can help in the arena."

"You agreed to do what I say. Trust me on this one, you'll earn sponsors. I can work on that story: the star-crossed lovers from District 12, one where there is no happy ending because of the games."

"But we're not lovers." I say. And there will never be a happy ending for us even without the games. She'll be in her own world, while I watch her from mine. Always separated.

"You are not, but people in the Capitol will be intrigued. And if you want to help Katniss, that is the perfect way to do it. Quite frankly, I don't know what to coach her for the interview. If you do that, you'll bring yourself and her to the spotlight. Everyone will be talking about the two of you."

Everything about the plan sounds wrong. I don't want to use my feelings for her just to get sponsors, and I'm sure that she will never entertain the idea of the star-crossed lovers. However, I can see Haymitch's point. Katniss is not a people person. She's too direct with her thoughts, too filled with hatred for the Capitol, and too hostile with everyone.

"I don't see how that will work out. Katniss will never buy that idea." I argue.

"Just do what I say, okay? Katniss can't do anything about it once you've said it out there. Don't worry, I'll take care of her afterwards. I'll make her see reason in that."

I'm still reluctant about his plan, but I go along with it anyway.

"There's really nothing else for me to tell you about the interview. You're a natural charmer. I know the people will love you."

"I'm not so sure about that."

"Oh, you'll see." Haymitch says, laughing. "Now, in the arena, your plan to protect her will largely depend on her willingness to oblige to the act. I don't have to tell you how to play it; I know you know how to protect her. Always remember that everything in the arena is dangerous, so I hope you spent time on the edible plants section during training. That will really help a lot."

"Katniss and I went there." I tell him.

"Good. Just pay close attention to everything. Never let your guard down." Haymitch continues. "And trust no one, if you don't want to get stabbed in the back."

* * *

We spent the next few hours chatting and working on strategies. When it's Effie's turn to coach me, she merely shows me how to sit, walk, and stand properly. It doesn't really take a lot of work since I don't have to face the ordeal of walking in heels or acting prim and proper.

Effie sighs. "Boys are so much easier to teach! Katniss struggled for hours on her heels, she can barely walk in them!"

I laugh. "She'll do fine, Effie. You've done a good job teaching us, thank you."

* * *

The training sessions with Effie and Haymitch exhausted me more than I thought. We ate dinner without Katniss as she requested to stay in her room. So we eat in silence, chatting about inconsequential things. Trying to give me a break from the Games, I think, until they finally tell me to rest for tomorrow's big event.

As I was walking back to my room, I hear the sound of something breaking inside Katniss's room. I hesitated outside when the redheaded Avox girl went inside and I had a peek at the mess of dishes inside. I inhaled deeply. _The Games is already taking its toll on her, _I thought sadly.

* * *

I lay in bed for a few hours before giving up trying to rest and heading to the rooftop. My thoughts are running wild that night, and I can't seem to stop thinking how Katniss will react tomorrow.

I have been trying to work up the nerve to talk to her back in our district, and for 11 years, I failed. It's pathetic, really, to fail at a simple task for so long. Admitting my feelings for her in front of the whole country makes it more scary.

There are several downsides to the plan. For one, I know she won't react well. Katniss will probably get mad at me, but what choice do I have now? Haymitch said that the plan will help her for her own interview. Also, I'm certain that Katniss will doubt the truth of my statement. She will think twice if I really mean it or if I'm just saying it for the sake of the Games. I'm guessing it's more of the latter, and that doesn't really make the interview a fulfillment of my lifelong plan.

I sat at the rooftop for a long time before making my way back to my room. Tomorrow, Katniss will know of my adoration for her, whichever way she believes it to be.


	11. Interview

**CHAPTER 11**

**INTERVIEW**

* * *

My prep team had been working on me since lunch ended. I will never understand why they have to take so long in fixing me, especially since I'm a man anyway. I've always thought fashion and make-up are solely for girls; but obviously, here in the Capitol, both sexes put so much weight on their looks.

Portia then enters carrying a covered material (my clothes, I assume) on her arms. "Are you ready?" she trills.

My nerves are jumbled together and my heart start to thump loudly as I realize that the time has almost come. "Barely," I tell her. There's no way I'll ever be ready for this.

"You'll do fine," she breathes, as she comes closer to me. "Okay, now close your eyes."

I did as she said and tried to occupy myself by thinking of how I will reveal my secret. _I like Katniss Everdeen. And there's no way we're ever going to have a happy ending because of the Games. But I intend to make sure that she comes out alive. And I'm an idiot for not telling her my feelings sooner._

I sigh inwardly. I can feel Portia's hands as she slip the fabric through my body, and I let her prod over my whole body as she prepared me for the interview.

"Are we almost done?" I ask her.

"Yes!" she says, excitement flooding her tone. "Okay, you're ready. Open your eyes now!"

I do, and Portia made me stand in front a mirror covering an entire wall. I stare at the man reflected there, and I can't help but admire the marvelous work that they have done on me. Portia had placed me a black suit that fit me so perfectly: it outlined my well-built muscles from years of working at the bakery.

I turn to her, absolutely thankful. "You're so good at this, Portia." I tell her honestly. "Thank you so much."

She smiles back at me. "You look so handsome! I'm sure girls will be dreaming of you tonight,"

I laugh, thinking how silly that sounded. "Thanks for the compliment, but really, I don't see that happening."

Portia shook her head, not saying anything else before ushering me out the door. Serra and Hamish (my prep team) suddenly materialized again, and the three of them escorted my outside. My nervousness skyrocketed. Katniss and her team are not yet in the elevator when we arrived, and I wondered what they put on her tonight. More flames, probably, just as they promised. My own suit have flame accents on it.

"You look dapper in that suit, Peeta!" Effie exclaims, rushing to me. "Oh look at you!"

I cleared my throat to hide my nervousness. "Thank you Effie. My prep team's really good."

She laughs easily. "Katniss and her prep team are on their way, we should be able to leave soon."

I nod at her, not knowing what else to say. I become preoccupied again with thoughts of the interview. Haymitch laughs beside me. "Breathe." He says as he nudged my arm.

"Are you sure it's a good plan, Haymitch?" I ask him.

"We already talked about this. It's for the best."

I hear the sound of Katniss's prep team and my eyes dart to the door where I know she would be coming in. I felt my breath catch as I spot her. She looks so radiant. _Breathe, _I instruct myself.

"Katniss!" Effie squeals. "Oh my, you look so perfect! The crowd will go berserk!"

"I didn't imagine you looking so proper, Katniss." Haymitch jokes.

"Thank you Effie. Cinna is really a master of fashion." Katniss replies, clearly avoiding Haymitch. She smiles a bit.

"There! Let's see more of that smile, yes? It looks so good on you." Effie remarks. "Oh Cinna, I wish you would design my whole wardrobe!"

"Probably when we get the time Effie." Cinna replies.

"Yes, yes!" Effie says, turning to the elevator and punching the button. We all enter and was greeted by the sight of other tributes when we got to the waiting area. Capitol attendants instruct us to line up, telling us that we shall be out in a few minutes. I feel my breathing hitch.

I can't seem to take my eyes off Katniss, so whenever I feel like she wasn't looking, I take in her beauty. We haven't spoken since the night we got our training scores, and I was too afraid to talk to her now. So we stand awkwardly together, not bothering to start a conversation.

"Remember, you're still a happy pair. So act like it." I hear Haymitch say as he snuck up on us.

I lock eyes with Katniss momentarily and I immediately saw the confusion there. I guess she assumed that we have to drop the pretense when I asked to be trained separately. Thankfully, there's almost no time to dwell on what I should tell her because the Capitol attendants are already instructing us to enter the stage. We were asked to sit in chairs located at the elevated portion of the stage.

* * *

The stage and the entire City Circle is arranged per class - the balconies are covered by television crews and the Gamemakers; prestigious guests (the VIPs as they call it) are given the best view in an elevated portion where ourstylists sit in the front row; and all other guests are in the standing-room-only portion. I grew more nervous as I see the huge crowd watching us. _Katniss will never forgive me for this._

Too soon, Caesar Flickerman appears on the stage and sets the atmosphere by joking with the audience. He is actually good in hosting, and as each tribute are called, I can see how he is able to bring out the best in everyone.

I wasn't able to pay much attention to the other tributes' interviews as my mind rushed through what is about to happen. Soon, I hear Caesar calling out Katniss's name, and I know that I only have 3 minutes left before I'm up. I try to focus on Katniss.

"So Katniss," I hear Caesar begin. "The Capitol must be quite a change from District 12. What's impressed you most since you arrive here?"

I must give it to Caesar: he knows the right questions to ask, and I suddenly find myself eagerly waiting for her answer.

"The lamb stew," she stammers out.

_The lamb stew? _I had to smile, and I hear the audience laughing.

"The one with the dried plums?" Caesar asks, and Katniss nods her head to confirm. "Oh, I eat it by the bucketful! It doesn't show, does it?" he jokes again.

"Now Katniss, when you came out in the opening ceremonies, my heart actually stopped." _So did mine, Caesar. _I thought. "What did you think of that costume?"_  
_

"You mean after I got over my fear of being burned alive?" I chuckled lightly, then I realized that some of the tributes turned to face me. The audience are in heaps of laughter - they loved it too. I clearly remember how we both made a deal to rip each other's cape off, sure that the flames will burn us. The others will never understand that moment, and I felt euphoric as I suddenly remembered the way she kissed me on the cheek.

"Yes. Start then," Caesar commands.

"I thought Cinna was brilliant and it was the most gorgeous costume I've ever seen and I couldn't believe I was wearing it. I can't believe I'm wearing this either." Katniss says, lifting up her skirt. "I mean, look at it!"

I watch her spin in a circle and I gasped. _The flames. _Cinna had done a very good job in it.

"Oh, do that again!" Caesar pleads, and she did. She twirled and the audience can't stop cheering, and it continued long after she finally stopped and held on to Caesar's arm. She must be dizzy.

"Don't stop!" Caesar says again, clearly delighted by her ensemble.

"I have to! I'm dizzy!" Katniss replies, and I'm dazed that she seemed genuinely enjoying herself. She's giggling, and I can only stare at her with an impish smile on my face. I have never seen or heard her laugh before, let alone giggle. She looked more radiant than ever.

"Don't worry, I've got you." Caesar wrapped an arm around her. Jealousy struck me. How many times did I wish to do that? "Can't have you following in your mentor's footsteps."

The cameras took a close-up shot of Haymitch, but it took only a short while and they turned back again to Katniss.

"It's all right. She's safe with me. So, how about that training score. E-le-ven. Give us a hint what happened in there."

_Uh oh._

"Um..." Katniss stammered. "All I can say is, I think it was a first."

"You're killing us! Details, details."

"I'm not supposed to talk about it, right?" she responds, avoiding the subject. I wonder how the crowd will react to that. I turn my head to look at the other tributes, and I see that they're hoping that Caesar will push her to reveal the details. Curiosity is obvious in their eyes and the way they leaned forward, looking excitedly at Katniss. Especially the Careers. They must be dying to know her secret, and jealous that she scored higher than them.

"She's not!" A Gamemaker shouts from the balcony.

"Thank you. Sorry, my lips are sealed." Katniss says with a hint of playfulness in her voice.

"Let's go back to the moment they called your sister's name at the reaping," Caesar continues, dropping the subject. I hear a grunt of disappointment from the others. "And you volunteered. Can you tell us about her?"

This time, it's my turn to lean forward. I am already aware of how much she loves her sister, but I wait for her to speak up. This is the first time that she'll talk about that.

Katniss had a moment of silence, as if debating whether or not to speak up. "Her name's Prim," She begins. Her voice is filled with sadness when she spoke her name. "She's just 12. And I love her more than anything."

_Her sister is so lucky to have her, _I thought. Not everyone is capable of that kind of love, even for their family. I can see that the whole audience is waiting for her to continue. She didn't.

"What did she say to you? After the reaping?" Caesar pressed.

"She asked me to try really hard to win."

"And what did you say?"

"I swore I would." She said silently.

When she said those words, I felt her sadness reach me. I knew right that moment that my decision to save her in the arena is right. She's so protective of her sister. Katniss looked so vulnerable, despite the strong front she's trying to project.

"I bet you did," Caesar says reassuringly. "Sorry, we're out of time. Best of luck, Katniss Everdeen, tribute from District 12."

* * *

"Okay! Let's call our next tribute, Peeta Mellark, District 12!"

At the sound of my name, I stand up from my chair and square my shoulders. My feet felt heavy as I walked to the center of the stage and took my place beside Caesar. I smile as I reach him, shake his hand, and wave at the audience.

This won them over almost instantaneously. The opening ceremonies obviously still have an effect on them. Not to mention our good training scores.

"So Peeta," Caesar begins. "What have you been up to, before you left home and got called at the reaping?"

"Oh, I've been baking. My family runs a small shop."

"Ooooh. That sounds delicious!" Caesar says. "I bet you miss it."

"Terribly." I reply. "Well, since I can't bake here, I've gotten the habit of analyzing every piece of bread they serve me. Actually, my attachment to bread is so bad that I've even developed the habit of comparing my fellow tributes to the bread from their district."

Caesar and the audience laughs uncontrollably. "Tell me something about it!"

"Well, let's see. District 1's bread is so rich and full, sometimes they even have that chocolate filling inside or other stuff I don't really know because we never use them, and their tributes are like that: shining and _rich._ District 2's bread is... really stiff. No offense. It's delicious, but it seems to be made particularly for combat. And their tributes look that way... like they're unbreakable. I can go on and on about this, but I might spend the rest of my time talking about bread, so I'll move on to our district." I pause briefly. "We don't really have much ingredients to work with, so my family makes sure to fill it with a secret ingredient that makes it really delicious."

"What is it?" Caesar asks eagerly.

"Love." I say, smiling at the audience. "And that's what Katniss and I are. We're like our bread - not really incomplete and soft, but we're okay even though we're faced with hardships. We're passionate about the things we do."

"That's really interesting, Peeta. Living in the Capitol must be a really good experience for you." he says.

"Oh yes!" I say. "The accommodation here is really good. But I must say, the showers really give me a hard time.."

"The shower?" Caesar asks, looking confused. "And why is that?"

"There's so many things in there. The scents for instance." I gesture him to come closer. "Tell me, do I still smell like roses?"

Caesar leans forward to sniff. "Yes, I surely detect the scent of roses. It's one of my favorites." He pauses for a second. "Do I?"

I lean closer to him as well. The audience laughs uncontrollably. "Yes. I think it's more potent on you."

"Oh, that's because I've lived here longer." The audience laughs again as I agree with him. "But tell me, do you have a girlfriend back at home?"

I sober up. This is it, the moment that I've been dreading. "No, I don't." I tell him, shaking my head.

Caesar looks at me incredulously. "Handsome lad like you. There must be some special girl." He gestures to me as the audience whoots in agreement. "Come on, what's her name?"

"Well, there is one girl. I've had a crush on her evers since I can remember. But I'm pretty sure she didn't know I was alive until the reaping."

The crowd reacts accordingly at my tragic account. Everyone can relate to this. "She have another fellow?" Caesar asks.

"I don't know, but a lot of boys like her." I tell him, thinking of how the other male tributes looked at her after the opening ceremony and the sense of pride I felt at having her by my side that time. Back at home, men adored her as well.

"So here's what you do. You win, you go home. She can't turn you don then, eh?"

The moment has come. I realize that Caesar has easily led me to the topic, I don't even have to think of the words. "I don't think it's going to work out. Winning... won't help in my case."

"Why ever not?"

I felt my whole face heat up. There's no turning back now. I avoided looking at the cameras. "Because... because... she came here with me."

* * *

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I hear the audience murmur in pity. Some even cried aloud. I kept my eyes down, afraid to see Katniss's reaction. My chest feels a thousand times lighter after revealing the secret I held for so many years. But I'm not satisfied with myself, in fact, I feel embarassed at having to use the games to be able to tell her that. I never imagined to tell my feelings for her this way.

"Oh that is a piece of bad luck." I hear Caesar say. He, too, looked pained at my revelation.

"It's not good." Her life shouldn't be taken from her forcibly. My chest flared up as I thought of how I hate the Capitol for this.

"Well, I don't think any of us can blame you. It'd be hard not to fall for that young lady. She didn't know?"

I slowly look upward as I shake my head. I realize that the cameras are focused on Katniss, who is now blushing a deep shade of red. "Not until now."

"Wouldn't you love to pull her back out here and get a response?" Caesar asks the audience. They all shout in agreement. "Sadly, rules are rules, and Katniss Everdeen's time has been spent. Well, best of luck to you, Peeta Mellark, and I think I speak for all of Panem when I say our hearts go out with yours."

"Thank you," I say, addressing him and the crowd after their defeaning shouts have died down. I hurried back to my chair - avoiding Katniss's eyes - and remained standing as the anthem played.

Through the huge screens around the city square, I saw that Haymitch was right about the Capitol falling for that angle. All cameras are focused on Katniss and I.

I dreaded going back to our quarters. I still don't know how she will interpret my interview, but i know there's hell to pay for this.

* * *

As soon as the elevator stopped on our floor, I spot Katniss rush to me and felt her slap her palms to my chest. Surprised, I stagger backward, hitting a nearby urn which broke on the ground. I lost my balance and fell in the shards. A stabbing pain hit me.

"What was that for?" I ask her. I'm terrified as I realize that she might have thought I'm using her for the games.

"You have no right! No right to go saying those thinga about me!"

I remain speechless, wanting to apologize to her and tell her that everything I said is true. Ihear the elevator doors open, but my eyes remain locked with hers as our whole team rushed towards us.

"What's going on? Did you fall?" Effie asks, panic clear on her voice.

Effie and Cinna helped me up. "After she shoved me." I tell them. There's no point in lying, they saw how Katniss and I were just staring at each other.

"Shoved him?" Haymitch asks, looking at Katniss.

"This was your idea, wasn't it?" She replied angrily. "Turning me into some kind of fool in front of he entire country?"

"It was my idea." I tell her, coming to Haymitch's defense. "Haymitch just helped me with it."

"Yes, Haymitch is very helpful. To you!"

Did she really think that? She's as blind as she can be. Her senses seem to be limited to animals.

"You are a fool. Do you think he hurt you? That boy just gave you something you can never achieve on your own." Haymitch exclaims.

That was harsh, but I decide to stay silent. I am still tongue-tied, and I don't want her to be more mad at me than she already is.

"He made me look weak!"

"He made you look desirable!" Haymitch counters. "And let's face it, you can use all the help you can get in that department. You were about as romantic as dirt until he said he wanted you. Now they all do. You're all they're talking about. The star-crossed lovers from District 12!"

"But we're not star-crossed lovers!"

Haymitch is starting to lose his temper. She grabbed Katniss's shoulders and pinned her against the wall, forcing her to look directly into his eyes.

"Who cares? It's all a big show. It's all how you're perceived. The most I could say about you after your interview was that you were nice enough, although that in itself is a small miracle. Now I can say you're a heartbreaker. Oh, oh, oh, how the boys back home fall longingly at your feet. What do you think will get you more sponsors?"

Home. It's true that I've seen some of the boys in our district look longingly at her. But I've never been jealous of them, because she never took notice of them. The only boy ahe spends time with is Gale...

Gale. A sudden realization hit me. What if Katniss is upset not because she felt betrayed as I originally thought, but because she's worried of how Gale will react to what I said?

Jealousy coursed through me. Then anger. I've been nice to her, but all I get is hatred. Don't I deserve more than that?

Katniss shoved him aside. Cinna steps in between them and puts an arm around her shoulders. "He's right, Katniss."

I can see reason return to her face. "I should have been told, so I didn't look so stupid."

"No, your reaction was perfect." Portia says. "If you'd known, it wouldn't havead as real."

"She's just worried about her boyfriend." I tell them bitterly.

"I don't have a boyfriend." She says, but I quickly dismiss her denial because she blushed a deep shade of red. Real or not, I can see that Gale is special to her.

"Whatever." I tell her. "But I bet he's smart enough to know a bluff when he sees it. Besides, you didn't say you loved me. So what does it matter?"

Katniss fell silent, allowing my words to sink in. "After he said he loved me, did you think I could be in love with him, too?" She asked them.

"I did." Portia reassured her. "The way you avoided looking at the cameras, the blush." The others agreed with her. "You're golden, sweetheart. You're going to have sponsors lined up around the block." Haymitch adds.

"I'm sorry I shoved you." She tells me.

"Doesn't matter. Although it's technically illegal." I say dismissively. It's true, though. With or without the bruise, I don't stand a chance in the arena.

"Are your hands okay?"

"They'll be alright." Now that I've released my anger, I can feel it dissolving.

The whole group stands awkwardly for a while. "Come on, let's eat." Haymitch says. Everyone went to the dining room, but Portia noticed that my hand is bleeding too much.

"Maybe we should get that fixed first." Portia says, pointing at my hand. "We'll just get back later, you can start dinner without us."

I follow her without objecting bevause my wound is starting to bother me and I need the extra time to breathe. We enter a door on the hallway opposite our rooms where a medical team is situated. Portia explains to them that I accidentally broke an urn outside. They accepted this explanation and worked on me immediately.

"Thank you Portia." I tell her. She has done nothing but goodness to me, and I now consider her as a friend. We sit silently as the doctor works on my arm.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

I smile at her sadly. "I'll be fine."

She nods in understanding. "You're a good man. She will realize it soon enough."

I stare at my hands, which the doctor is already bandaging. Will she?

I don't want to hope.


	12. Farewells

_Author's note:_

_The one who writes the ones: The games will be after this chapter! I'll be posting 2 chapters today :D I'm so excited to get to the romance part already! _

_Thank you Molitalia90, BeautifulMysteries13 , Alexis, cdaye8184, JessPezza, and everybody else for your reviews! Please keep your comments coming, they mean a lot! _

_Happy reading! _

* * *

**CHAPTER 12**

**FAREWELLS**

* * *

We got back to the dining room just as the main dish is being served. We finish dinner in silence, then proceeded to the sitting room for the interview's replay.

"Both of you look stunning." Effie says, but without her usual high-pitch. No one else reacts, conscious of the tense atmosphere between us.

This is our final night here in our quarters. The final chance for us to have a good night's sleep without feeling guilty, because sleep in the arena is almost an invitation to your own death. And most importantly, this may be the last time that we will see these people.

It's the time for our final goodbyes.

Effie comes to us, teary-eyed. She holds my and Katniss's hands and stares into our eyes. "You take care in the arena, okay? Thank you... for being the best tributes I've ever had the privilege to sponsor." She says before hugging us both. "I wouldn't be at all surprised if i finally get promoted to a decent district next year!" She adds, kissing both of us on our cheeks. I laugh lightly as she hurried out the door, not wanting us to see more of her tears. I stare at her retreating figure and silently thank her for all her efforts. I know that she genuinely tried to help us in her own way.

"Any final words of advice?" I ask Haymitch.

"When the gong sounds, get the hell out of there. You're neither of you up to the blood bath at the Cornucopia. Just clear out, put as much distance as you can between yourselves and the others, and find a source of water. Got it?"

Katniss and I nod at him. "And after that?" she asks.

"Stay alive."

* * *

Haymitch's words were both obvious and meaningful. There's really nothing else to say, and I know he's not one for goodbyes, so I let him leave the room without stopping him.

Katniss turns to leave as soon as Haymitch left. I didn't bother to follow her, aware that she may not want to talk to me. So I talk to Portia instead, taking advantage of this time to bid her farewell. I may not be able to do it tomorrow.

"Thank you for everything Portia." I tell her as I take a step forward to hug her.

This seemed to surprise her, but she returned my hug. "Survive, Peeta. I know you can."

"I'll do my best." I didn't try to contradict her, sure that she will only convince me otherwise.

She looks into my eyes, as if trying to decide if I'm telling the truth. "I'll see you tomorrow. Sleep as much as you can tonight, you'll need it." She says before heading out.

Somehow, i get the feeling that I will not be able to sleep well tonight. I decide to sneak up to the rooftop, needing the fresh air so desperately. This day had been very emotionally tiring. I stand at the railing and stare at the streets below me, surprised that there are still a lot of people outside. Usually, the streets are already clear at this time of the night.

I suddenly wondered if they're having some sort of a party. That seems to be the only explanation – people look excited, music is blaring, and a lot of people are singing. _Are they celebrating for tomorrow's event?_ The hatred I felt earlier came back into my body. Here I am and the other tributes, tense about the remaining few hours before we are sent to he arena, and they're celebrating. That is hardly fair, like our deaths are some sort of a festival for them.

"You really need to sleep, you know." A voice came behind me.

I whip my head around to see Haymitch. "I can't sleep." I tell him. "What's happening below?"

Haymitch walks beside me and looks at the streets. "Oh, it's a tradition they have. Tomorrow's a big day, and tonight is their last chance to place their initial bets."

I couldn't think of anything to say so I kept silent.

"How's your hand?"

"Nothing unmanageable." I say, looking at my bandaged hand. "There's no way to have that alliance with her."

"You still want to help her, don't you? Even after what she did?"

I nodded.

"You're stupid." He tells me.

"She's a good person, Haymitch. You may not see it, but she is."

"You are, too."

I look at him, surprised at what he said. Haymitch is not one to offer compliments to make someone feel better, so I allow myself to believe his words. But that is still not enough.

"I don't stand a chance against the others in the arena. They're all so strong."

"If you stick your mind on that one, there's really no way that you'll last. And if you die immediately, how will you help her? Besides, your weapon is stronger than all of them put together."

"What is that?"

Haymitch gingerly points his finger to my heart.

_Is he right? Will that be enough to keep me alive long enough? _

"What should I do?"

Haymitch doesn't speak for a moment. I look up to study his face and see him deep in thought.

"Strike an alliance with the others."

"With whom? And how will I do that? It's not like I'll have the chance to negotiate."

"The Careers. They already have an alliance, and I know that they will track Katniss immediately. To them, she's the biggest threat. If you can manage to join them, not only will you be alive, but you'll also be able to keep them off Katniss's back. You have an idea how she operates; they don't. Give them inaccurate information. And be prepared yourself, because the moment that they track her or if they discover that you're misleading them, you're dead meat. Do you understand?"

"It makes perfect sense. But Haymitch, I think it's next to impossible that they will accept me in the alliance."

"Convince them. You're good with words – you can do that." And with that, he leaves.

* * *

Haymitch left me pondering on my strategy for the next few hours. I know that I will not get down without a fight, but that means that I will try to kill that person. And I hate that idea.

Thinking of the possibilities leaves me shuddering. I have never been in a fight, except for the wrestling matches that we have back in school. But even then, there's the referee to stop the game before the fight endangers the opponent's life. I even have to admit to myself that I despised those fights; I mostly did that for the extra money that we can get from winning, and my mother pushed me to participate in it. My older brother was also asked to do that.

The Games is different. One moment of hesitation to kill, and that would seriously risk my life... or hers. The idea is revolting, knowing that this will somehow change who I am. But there's no other way to do it, is there? I hate the Capitol for it, for pushing innocent people – even the 12 year olds, children, as I might say – to their stupid idea of keeping the peace in our country. The others may be tough about it, but the others are merely forced to act based on survival, pushing them to turn into something that they're not for the sake of living. But going down without a fight will only make me disgrace myself in front of the whole country, leaving me dead with everyone mocking and laughing at me for my weakness. I feel disgusted.

"You should be getting some sleep."

Her voice startles me from my thoughts. I didn't have to turn to know who's voice it is; I know it by heart. But her presence and her initiation to talk to me leaves me confused yet again. Why does she keep on doing that? One minute she seems okay to be friends with me, and the next minute she's so willing to rip my throat out.

"I didn't want to miss the party. It's for us, after all." I tell her sarcastically.

I can feel her settle beside me. "Are they in costumes?"

"Who could tell? With all the crazy clothes they wear here. Couldn't sleep, either?"

"Couldn't turn my mind off."

"Thinking about your family?" I guessed.

"No. All I can do is wonder about tomorrow. Which is pointless, of course." I can feel her staring at me. "I really am sorry about your hands."

"It doesn't matter Katniss. I've never been a contender in these Games, anyway."

"That's no way to be thinking."

"Why not? It's true. My best hope is to not disgrace myself and..." I pause mid-sentence, not knowing how to continue as I realize that I gave away way too much. Will she think I'm weak if I reveal to her my earlier thoughts, my worries about needing to kill somebody else?

"And what?" She presses.

"I don't know how to say it exactly. Only... I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?"

Katniss shakes her head.

"I don't want them to change me in there. Turn me into some kind of monster that I'm not."

"Do you mean you won't kill anyone?"

If only there's any way to win without needing to do that. But the Gamemakers always make sure that there's bloodbath for the audience's entertainment.

"No." I tell her honestly. "When the time comes, I'm sure I'll kill just like everybody else. I can't go down without a fight. Only I keep wishing I could think of a way to... to show the Capitol they don't own me. That I'm more than just a piece in their Games."

"But you're not. None of us are. That's how the Games work."

"Okay, but within the framework, there's still you, there's still me. Don't you see?"

"A little. Only... no offense, but who cares, Peeta?"

"I do. I mean, what else am I allowed to care about at this point?" I tell her angrily, looking straight into her eyes. _Doesn't she understand?_

"Care about what Haymitch said. About staying alive."

I smile at her sarcastically, knowing that she will never understand my point. She's a hunter, after all. "Okay, thanks for the tip, sweetheart."

The way I used Haymitch's endearment angers her. I know she hates it, and that triggered her temper again. "Look, if you want to spend the last hours of your life planning some noble death in the arena, that's your choice. I want to spend mine in District 12."

"Wouldn't surprise me if you do." I reply. That much is predictable about her; her love for her family. And maybe Gale? "Give my mother my best when you make it back, will you?"

"Count on it." She answers angrily, leaving me alone on the roof again.

I sigh, thinking how difficult it will be to save her. Maybe she doesn't need help, after all.


	13. Bloodbath

**CHAPTER 13**

**BLOODBATH | _DAY 1, ARENA_**

* * *

I barely had enough sleep; I was too restless for that. Surprisingly, I don't feel fatigue wearing me down, and my mind seems to be relatively alert. Today's the big day.

Portia walks into the room before dawn has broken, giving me a simple shift to wear before we head to the roof. A hovercraft appears in the air and drops a ladder. I climb it without hesitation, surprised when contact with the ladder literally kept me frozen in place. As soon as I'm safely inside, a woman in white coat comes to me and sticks the syringe she's holding to my skin.

"Your tracker for the arena." She informs me. I didn't really have a choice since I'm still frozen on the ladder, but she finishes quickly and I feel myself being able to move again. A while later, Portia is also brought up from the roof.

We were given a huge breakfast, and I try to eat as much as can.

"I'll really miss all the food here," I tell Portia.

"They're superb, aren't they?"

"Incomparable." I sigh. "I can only hope to find some food in the arena."

"You will. Just remember what you learned from training, and be careful. And if you don't find any... I'm sure your sponsors will help you."

I smile at her. No doubt she's still trying to console me. _Does she really believe that I've scored some sponsors?_ I hope so. But if I succeed in convincing the Careers to make me join them, I'm sure there will be plenty of food. That's always their tactic - dominate the Cornucopia so the only problem they'll have is to track the others.

After about 30 minutes, we are led out of the hovercraft into a catacomb beneath the arena: the Launch Room as they call it. I walk nervously, fiddling with my bandage. Only a few minutes left till my death.

I spend the remaining time cleaning myself. When I've finally dressed in my undergarments, pants, light green shirt, brown belt, black jacket, and soft leather boots, I turn to Portia for evaluation.

"This is a far cry from your pieces, Portia."

She laughs. "Yes it is. This jacket is helpful, though. The material is designed to reflect body heat."

"You think it's a snowy terrain?"

"Maybe, maybe not. The audience got bored when they did that last time, though. So my safe bet is that there will be cool nights."

I nod, trusting her judgment. "Are the clothes comfortable? Do they fit you well?"

I move my limbs to test it out. Everything seemed to fit perfectly. "Yes, everything fits me."

"Okay. Maybe you should stuff yourself some more..."

"I might end up vomiting everything I ate, Portia. Then I'd be left with an empty stomach."

We laugh together. She directs me to sit on one of the chairs in the room. We stay like this for a while until I decide that my time is almost up. "Portia... you have been so good to me. You gave me the advantage that I can only dream of before. Thank you. Extend my thanks to Serra and Hamish, as well. I wasn't able to bid them farewell. They were also great."

She looks at me sadly, looking like she's holding back tears. "Fight for your life, Peeta. I know you may hate the idea of hurting other people... you're so gentle and kind. Do it for your life. I trust in your capabilities. You can do this."

I smile at her, her words echoing in my ear. _Do it for your life. _But my life seems to be attached to Katniss: my life revolved around her for so long now that I don't know how to exist if she died in the arena. She is my life, no matter how unrequited my feelings could be.

We hug for a moment before I hear the announcer say that it's time to prepare for launch. I slowly walk to the circular metal plate before a glass wall locked me in. I felt the plate start to rise, and I gave Portia a warm smile; squaring my shoulders, preparing for the worst.

My insides are tied in knots, my heart throbbing painfully against my chest. There's no way to stop this now. The moment has come.

* * *

I feel myself being pushed into open air and was blinded by the bright sunlight. In the seconds that it took my eyes to refocus, I hear Claudius Templesmith, the announcer, say the historic sentence that signifies the start of the Games.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games begin!"

The 60-second timer starts. My eyes immediately scan the terrain, my instincts are kicking into full gear now. I can see that we are in an open stretch of ground. I look backwards and see the lake; to my right is an empty space – _steep slope or cliff?_ – and in front of me are the woods. I feel myself breathe a sigh of relief. Katniss can survive this one; she spent a lot of time in the woods so this must be easier for her.

Several materials lie on the ground at various distances, but the most valuable weapons are those at the Cornucopia. Food, weapons, survival kits... it's very tempting to get my hands on those things, but I'm not really a fast runner, and I promised myself to stick to Haymitch's plan. I spot a knife a few steps away from me. Maybe I can grab that one before i make that deal with the Careers... or run off.

My eyes search for Katniss and saw her five tributes to my left. She seems to be assessing the arena too, and I can see that her eyes are locked on the bow and arrows in the Cornucopia. Something tells me that she's planning to run for it. I don't really know if she's a fast runner or not, but I know that she must follow Haymitch's advice. Already, I can see the Careers eyeing her. The guy from District 2 also has a knife near him. He can easily grab that and throw it to Katniss once he sees her running towards the supplies... I can't let her risk that.

I stare at her, praying that she will look in my direction. She did, and I don't hesitate to shake my head at her, hoping that she'll get my message. But she only seems confused.

Too soon, the gong rings out.

I step out of my plate and grab the knife. I try to keep an eye on her and on any attackers. I was distracted by the boy from District 5 who is running into my direction, eyeing my knife. He's probably planning to steal it from me. I prepare myself for the attack, and we both topple to the ground. We wrestle each other briefly: I can easily overpower him and I can probably easily kill him, but instead, I swing my knife on his arm to incapacitate him. It worked, and his strength immediately lowered. I shoved him away from me and saw the boy from District 2 heading in our direction. _Fight or flight? _I think, panicking.

I watch as he easily finished the boy with his spear. He removed it from the boy's body and headed toward me, a smile on his face. I saw him prepare to throw the spear at me.

"Wait! I can help you!" I shout at him, holding my arms up.

This seemed to confuse him. I can see his eyes dart from side to side to check for any attackers, but everybody else is busy. "Are you trying to trick me, lover boy?"

Obviously, this boy is so confident that he will not yet die, as he still finds time to talk to me. "No, I'm not." I hold up my bandaged hand for him to see. "Katniss attacked me after the interview. She didn't like it that I revealed my feelings for her there. She said she's disgusted, shouting different profanities at me. And I hate her for it; for making me feel so low. I want her to die for embarrassing me in front of our whole team. I can help you to track her, we've spent time together in training. I know what she can do, I know how her mind works."

My words made him think for a moment. "I want to finish her off."

"Okay. That's a deal." I tell him. He nods, still eyeing me cautiously. "I have to tell the others. Make sure that you're not bluffing, or else you're dead. Get that?"

"I'm not stupid to lie to you." Relief coursed through me. I just did the impossible!

* * *

The initial bloodbath is almost over, and we walk back to the Cornucopia. I expected to see the tributes from District 1, 2, and 4, but I was also surprised to see the boy from District 3.

"Where's Garrett?" I hear the boy from District 2 say. He's probably asking about the boy from District 4.

"Dead. Got into a fight with the huge one from 11." Answers the girl from 2. This surprises me: it's rare that the Careers die during the first fight. "What is he doing here, Cato?" she asks, pointing her knife in my direction.

Hmm. So Cato is the boy from District 2. "He's with us. He'll help us track the girl."

"Are you sure about that? Thought he was in love."

"Got rejected. He wants revenge. He'll be useful to us. Don't ask any more questions, Clove." Cato says, then turns to the boy from District 3. "You. We kept you alive for a reason. Make sure you do well on those mines."

The boy nods. I can see that he's scared but that he's willing to do anything he asks from him. After all, he'll be dead for sure if he fails to follow orders. I get the impression that Cato is the leader of this alliance. There's nothing surprising about that, he seems to be the strongest of all the Careers.

"Collect all the supplies you need." Cato instructs us. "Pile up the food in the center, and Blyth will surround it with mines. But make sure that we can still access it, and that it will be difficult for others to detect it. Anyone who doesn't know will be blown to pieces."

Blyth immediately moves to work, and I feel pity for him. They treat him like a puppet. I shudder inwardly. These people are heartless. They can kill without blinking an eye.

"How long are we gonna keep him?" the girl from District 1 asks.

"As long as he's useful, Glimmer."

_So that's the extent of this alliance_. Haymitch is right, of course. Once they've tracked Katniss, they will move to kill me next. There's something that worries me, though. There seems to be only one set of bow and arrows in the arena, and Clove is already holding it. That means Katniss is probably weaponless. I don't even know where she is right now, but instincts tell me that she ran to the woods. That's her safe haven.

I have to keep my eyes open all the time. We rummage through the supplies and get the things we need. For myself, I try to stick with knives since it's easier to handle in hand-to-hand combat. All of us got our own water bottles, and we fill each in the lake. It should be enough to last for a day.

"Good choice." Cato says beside me. "I saw you fight with that boy, you have the strength. Why didn't you kill him?"

The question caught me off guard. "I wanted to incapacitate him first. That way, it will be easier to kill him, and I won't be injured." I tell him, hoping that he won't recognize the uncertainty in my voice.

He didn't. Cato simply nods and proceeds collecting supplies. I gather some food, knowing that this alliance may not last long enough, so I have to take advantage of it.

"Where do you think she headed?" The boy from District 1 says beside me. I know she could only be asking about Katniss. I'm certain that she ran for the woods... but I don't want them to track her.

Everyone turned to look at me. "I saw her run to the woods." Clove interjects. "I tried to kill her with my knife but she was able to shield it with her backpack."

I heave a sigh of relief. Good thing Clove spoke up; otherwise, I might have said that she ran towards the lake... or the cliff. And they would have caught me right then and there. And Katniss has supplies, since Clove said that she has a backpack. Plus, she has the knife.

"Then we'll track her in the woods later." Cato replies.

"You sure you'll help us track her?" the girl from District 4 asks me doubtfully.

"I'm positive. She's a heartless, insensitive woman. I wouldn't want to have anything to do with her after what she did to me." I tell her, holding my bandaged hand up for affirmation.

She still doesn't seem very convinced, but she accepted my explanation anyway. The cannon starts booming, signifying the number of deaths.

"Cato, let's move out for a while. The hovercraft needs to get these stinking bodies out now." Clove says.

"Okay." He turns to the boy from District 3, who is now busy patting soil on the ground. "Hey Blyth. Let's head to the woods for a while, let them get these fools back. Are you done with that?"

"Yes. I'll activate the mines after you've cleared."

"Let's go." Cato instructs, motioning us to move to the woods. We follow him and watch as Blyth made complicated steps away from the supplies. The mines are already activated.

* * *

"You'll have to show us that later on." Marvel, the boy from District 1, says to Blyth.

"Okay."

"Go back to the supplies later after the hovercraft appears." Cato tells him. "Stay there - that's going to be your job. Make sure no one comes in. Even with the mines, someone might be able to sneak up."

Blyth follows obediently. Harper, the female tribute from 4, laughs as we walk away.

"He's a cute puppy."

The others laugh with her, so I try to join them as well even though I find nothing funny in it. "It's so fun to watch him take orders. He'll be a useful pet." Clove says. The others agreed excitedly.

"So where do you think he headed, lover boy?" Cato asks me.

"Oooh lover boy. I like that name!" Glimmer says, snickering.

"Uhm." _Think fast, _I instruct myself. "Maybe she tried to find shelter. Clove said she has a backpack, so we can assume that she's got supplies. I bet she'll start looking for a place to crash, rest while she thinks that everyone's satisfied with the initial bloodbath."

Cato nods thoughtfully. "Okay, all of you. Keep an eye out for other tributes. Kill them as soon as you see them, it's a free for all. Watch out for any signs of her, but don't kill her. She's mine."

Nobody tries to argue, so we continue trekking. I have never been to the woods, I've always thought of it as a dangerous place. Back in District 12, the woods is kept away from the district by a tall fence that's supposed to be electrified. But most of the time, it's not since we only get electricity a few hours each day.

We walked deeper into the woods until the light begins to dim. I look up at the sky, hoping to see a sign of the sunset that I've always loved. I caught the brief change in the colors of the sky and smile inwardly.

_Surely, I can keep this alliance for a few days, right?_

* * *

Hours later, the others - including myself - start panting. I can feel the lack of sleep now; my muscles feel dead tired and my eyes start to feel heavy. But I fought it, afraid that if they see a sign of weakness, they'll change their mind about having me. So I continue walking.

"Okay, let's camp out here. Marvel, you got the tent right?" Cato says.

"Right here." Marvel replies, bringing out a sturdy-looking tent from his backpack. "Let's stay right here for the night. I doubt that anyone can sneak up on all six of us." Cato continues.

We set up for the night, and after a few minutes, settled into position. I'm not comfortable staying here with them, but this is the best shot I have to stay long enough. I swallow up my disgust for these people and try to act interested with what they say.

We dine on the food that we brought with us from the camp and I listen as they talk about inconsequential things. It's clear that they view the others as inferior - they don't fear about getting killed by the other tributes.

After a while, we hear the anthem play. Everyone falls silent and we all stare at the sky. _Is Katniss is still alive? She has to be. She escaped into the woods, right? _I try to calm my nerves as I wait for the pictures of the dead tributes. I counted 11 from the cannon. She can't be one of those.

I watch as the sky lights up with photos of the dead. The girl from 3; Garrett, the boy from 4; the boy from 5; both from 6 and 7; the boy from 8; both from 9. I hold my breath as I wait for the last one.

It's the girl from 10.

My heart stopped pounding. I allow myself to relax, thankful that she made it through the day, and hoping that she's somewhere safe now. Probably high up in the trees. I wondered if she has food or water, recalling that the water bottles in the backpacks are empty. _Was she able to find a source by now?_ I'm not too worried about her food; I know she can hunt for that.

"It's not a big surprise that she's still alive." Glimmer says.

"She's out here somewhere. She should be easy to find." Clove answers confidently.

I kept silent, not offering any comments. It's obvious that they're so intimidated by her. Katniss is their number 1 target from the very beginning.

"How did she get that 11 in training, lover boy?" Cato asks me. Everyone looks at me eagerly, waiting for my response.

I hate how they call me lover boy, but I easily ignore it. What angers me the most is how they're all so intent on killing Katniss.

"Oh, she aced the edible plants test." I reply. She did, but that's not what got her 11. They looked at me incredulously.

"Is that some kind of a joke?" Glimmer says angrily. "That merits a higher grade than our skills in weapons?"

Instinctively, I know that my answer is not enough, so I give them another half truth. "She's also good with the knife."

Clove groaned. "She has a knife. The one I aimed at her that stuck in her backpack."

This seemed to make them ill at ease.

"Calm down!" Marvel shouted. "So what if she has a knife and she's good at it? We have arrows and spears. And we're plenty. I bet she's alone."

The others start nodding in agreement. "We'll track her at night. People are most vulnerable that time. But for now, let's take a rest. I'll take the first watch, then I'll wake someone up after two hours or so. That way, we can all sleep." Cato says.

As we settle into the night, I keep my eyes shut and pretend to sleep, keeping my ears open for any sign of an attack. After a few minutes, I hear Cato and Clove talking in low voices.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to have him?" Clove asks.

"We need him for information." Cato replies. _They must be talking about me._ I listen harder.

"You think he's telling the truth?"

"I think so. We can prove it later on, anyway."

"And if he's lying?"

"Is that supposed to be a rhetorical question?" Cato says, exasperated. "We kill him. Once we're done with the girl, we'll kill him too. He's no use after she's gone."

Clove doesn't reply anymore, but I hear the hairs at the back of my neck rising. This isn't really surprising, but I still feel so vulnerable. I don't stand a chance against all five of them. Their numbers have to deplete first.

Comforted by the thought that for this night, I'm still relatively safe from the Careers' attack, I allow myself to drift into slumber. Who knows when I'll get another one?

* * *

_Aaaaaaaand that's the first day of the Games! Comments, please! Are you liking it so far? XOXO_


	14. Fireball

**CHAPTER 14**

**FIREBALL | _DAYS 2 TO 4, ARENA_**

* * *

"Wake up, wake up!" I hear someone shout.

My eyes fly open, immediately alert of the surroundings. I look around to look for trouble, assuming that that's the reason why he woke us up. It's not. I can see that it's still dark, but dawn is almost coming. No one has bothered to wake me up to guard against attackers, and I thought that this could be because they don't really trust me. I could easily kill them in their sleep, but if given the chance, will I take it? At this point, I really doubt it.

Marvel is shaking the others awake, and when we've all come to our senses, he points to the western part of the arena. My face feels kind of swollen this morning, and I can sense that this is caused by yesterday's brawl with the other tribute. I can distinctly see smoke coming up. He looks at us excitedly.

"Smoke?" I ask.

Marvel nods. "There's an idiot who lit up a fire. It's been up for a while now. Probably got too cold. Let's go, it's our chance to bring down one opponent! Who knows, that person may have allies too and we can kill them all."

Everyone got too excited at once and begins packing, preparing our flashlights and torches. I help them roll up the tent and volunteer to carry it in my bag. We have barely fixed our things when Cato starts running excitedly to the direction of the smoke.

"It's still a good distance away, but I think we can reach it before dawn breaks. Come on, hurry up!" he says, tugging us forward.

I follow them as they ran through the trees, thankful that they're not very skilled in the woods. We trip through the trees many times, but they persevered and continue to move forward. I find myself looking up repeatedly at the trees, checking for signs of Katniss. There is none.

It is still dark when we reach the clearing. I can see her now: she's curled up beside the fire, knees tucked to her chest as she tries to keep warm. My eyes quickly look around to check if there's someone else, but she's alone.

The group begins to close in on her, making no attempt to hide our entrance. "There she is!" Marvel exclaims. "How stupid can that girl be." I hear Clove mutter. They break into a run. At the sound of feet rushing, the girl's head snaps up from the fire. Her eyes grow wide as she sees us and she hurriedly stands up on her feet, wanting to escape. But it's too late now, we are too close already.

"Please don't kill me!" she says, throwing her hands up in front of her as if to shield herself from what is sure to come. She doesn't try to run away, probably thinking that we can easily outrun her. "I'll do anything you tell me, just, please!"

I wince as I see Marvel and Cato walk stealthily to the girl, laughing. I can see the muscles on their back tense as they anticipate the girl's death. I deduce from their movements that they intend to prolong this moment, guessing that it's their enjoyment to see the fear in the girl's eyes.

"You saw her fire, so she's all yours now." Cato says.

Marvel smiles and starts walking in circles around her. He positioned himself at her back and slowly caressed her hair before tracing the contours of her face with the knife. The girl shuddered, tears spilling from her eyes.

"Please." The girl repeats. "Whatever you need – "

She isn't able to finish her sentence, as Marvel had already dug the knife deep in her body. Repeatedly. The girl coughs out blood and falls on her knees, her strength vanishing already.

Cato and the others laugh aloud. "What were you saying, huh?"

"Please don't kill me!" Glimmer says, trying to mock the girl's tone earlier.

"I'll do anything you want!" Harper joins in.

"Congratulations, Marvel!" I hear them say. I try to find the strength to speak. _Did they really think that was funny?_ The girl was so defenceless! But I know that they'll be more suspicious of me if I keep quiet, so I try to join their banter.

"That was very sneaky, Marvel. You should have seen her face." I tell him. _But even if you did see it, you're too much of a monster to spare her life. _

He huffs his chest in response. "Twelve down and eleven to go!" he shouts. The others hoot at this words.

"Let's look around for supplies. She might have something valuable here." Cato says.

We rummage through the contents of her small pack and find a piece of square plastic, some sticks, a piece of cloth, and an empty water bottle.

"This girl is useless!" Clove exclaims.

Glimmer holds up the square plastic. "What the hell is this for? For heaven's sake, no wonder she's dead already! Her brain is so small!"

I try to mute their complaints, looking at the girl from time to time. I can see that she's still faintly breathing, but I did not dare to tell the others for fear that they will only torture her. I pretend to look around for stray materials, but there is none.

"She doesn't have a lot of belongings. Probably tried to run as fast as she can from the Cornucopia and grabbed the first things she saw." I tell them.

"He's right." Marvel agrees.

"Better clear out so they can get the body before it starts stinking." Cato says, heading for the trees again.

"Yeah, I hate the smell of rotting body. Come on." Harper adds.

I start breathing normally again, glad to leave the place already. The group walks in high spirits, still entertained by the girl's screams. When we reach another clearing, Harper stops in her tracks.

"Shouldn't we have heard a cannon by now?"

_Uh-oh. She finally realized that slip._

"I'd say yes. Nothing to prevent them from going in immediately." Glimmer answers.

"Unless she isn't dead." Clove adds, exasperated.

"She's dead. I stuck her myself."

"Then where's the cannon?" Harper demands.

"Someone should go back. Make sure the job's done." Cato orders, instantly deciding for us.

"Yeah, we don't want to have to track her down twice." Clove adds.

"I said she's dead!" Marvel bursts out.

"There's no harm done if we could just make sure, okay?" Harper says, her voice rising.

"What the hell Marvel, maybe you didn't stick it to her hard enough." Glimmer.

"Shut up. I know she's dead. And if not, she will be, in a matter of minutes."

It's obvious that they're not going to let this go, and I'm actually afraid for the girl's fate in their hands when they find out that she's still breathing. "We're wasting time!" I tell them loudly, knowing that this is the only argument that can make them see sense and stop bickering like little kids. "I'll go finish her and let's move on!"

I don't really intend to finish her... but if she really is still alive, maybe death in my hands will make me feel less guilty than to let her face death from these heartless people.

"Go on then, lover boy. See for yourself." Cato tells me.

I walked back to the girl's campsite and felt my heart pound against my chest, hoping against hope that I won't have to kill her anymore. I walked fast, wanting to get this over with already. I am aware that as soon as I left the group, they'd be talking about me just as they did last night when they thought I'm asleep. They probably didn't buy it when I said that her skill with knives is what got her eleven, seeing how expertly they themselves use it. They're also probably questioning my alibi about wanting to get revenge. I have to be extra careful.

When I got to the clearing, I can see the girl slumped back in a fetal position, her hands wrapped tightly on her bleeding wounds. I run up to her, and I can see fear in her eyes as she sees me. She is too weak to move now.

I stay on her side holding her head in my lap. "Don't be afraid," I tell her, stroking her hair. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you earlier."

I felt bad about myself that I stood motionless as Marvel killed her. But there is really nothing I can do; I would have died right then and there if I tried to stop them. "Thank you." I hear her say weakly, and I know the end is near for her. A few seconds later, she's gone.

I gently placed her head back on the ground and stood up, taking out my knife and soaking it in her pool of blood to make them think that I killed her. I hurried back to the others and I can hear them talking in hushed voices, but I can't make out their words. They stopped talking when they hear me approaching.

"Was she dead?" Cato asks.

"No. But she is now." The cannon fires in response. "Ready to move on?"

* * *

Light is beginning to break in the trees, and I know that it's already dawn. The group runs again at the idea that we may come across another tribute. We spend half of the day trekking in the woods, looking around for tributes. But there is none.

By late afternoon, we head back to the Cornucopia to restock our supplies and see that Blyth is obediently in his position, guarding the supplies.

"Did anybody come?" Cato asks him. The boy shakes his head.

"That means the others know we've dominated this area." Harper says.

"No time to waste." Cato instructs. "Refill your water bottles and food supply. We can stay here for a while, sleep for a while, and head back to the woods later at night."

We stay at the Cornucopia until the anthem plays, and we see that the girl I supposedly came back for to kill was from District 8.

"That girl was a good source of entertainment." Glimmer says.

"Sure was." Marvel replies. "We started the day early, why don't we take the night off, Cato?"

"Because I want to track her already."

_Katniss. _

_"_We'll have plenty of time for that." Marvel argues. The girls backed him up. "He's right Cato, I want to get a full night to sleep." Clove tells him.

Cato doesn't seem pleased, but no one supports his desire to track tonight so he reluctantly gave in. "Fine. But tomorrow, make sure you all wake up early to track the others."

All of us settled into our sleeping tents, and I gave in to fatigue and took this opportunity to get a good rest.

* * *

By morning, everyone feels recharged. We take time to learn how to get to the supply pile without stepping on the mines, and since it's complicated, it took the entire morning for everyone to get it. After lunch, we prepare our things to head back in the woods.

"Don't you want to try that area?" Harper says, pointing to the far side of the circle that we haven't really bothered to go to.

We walked close to it and saw that instead of a cliff, it's really a steep field that has tall grasses. I walk to the edge, discovering that the grasses are as high as my shoulders, and stared out, not bothering to walk forward. The others also stay in their positions.

"I don't think anyone would want to stay there." Cato says. It's obvious that he doesn't want to go to the field, and I detect a hint of fear on his tone. "Let's just head back to the woods. I bet most of them are there."

No one argued, and we spent the rest of the day trying to look for signs of other tributes. But we didn't come across any. So we spend the night outside, with the Careers promising themselves that they'll get another kill tomorrow. No one died today.

* * *

I was woken up by a sound in the distance, and for a while I thought that a day without dead tributes made the Gamemakers decide to blow up the entire arena. I sit up, sleep making my limbs move slower, and looked around. It is still a good distance away, but I can clearly see it as it lodged through the trees and left a trail of fire behind. Cato heard it too, and I can see the urgency that passed through his eyes as his mind registered what it is.

_Fireballs._

Adrenaline coursed through me, and I am immediately up on my feet. Cato is already shouting for the others to wake up, and we run away from the fire as fast as we can. It's a good thing that the attacks are still far away so we were able to race through the woods without getting hurt, but smoke is quickly enveloping us. We continue to run through the woods until I begin to wonder if the attacks will ever stop. The Gamemakers are probably driving the tributes to one place. The thought pulls me up short. _Katniss._ If that's what this is, I can't give up now.

_Move, _I order myself, conscious of the painful throb of my legs but still unwilling to stop. We get scraped by tree branches, fell a lot, and got burned by some remnants of the huge fireballs, but I propel myself forward, knowing I have to be there to protect her if I'm right about the Gamemakers' intention. Then, almost as soon as it came up, the fireballs stopped attacking, and we are left with nothing but smoke. We stop to rest and catch our breath, but it's too difficult to breathe where we are so we continue to walk at a leisurely pace, occasionally coughing from the smoke.

My eyes continue to dart around for Katniss. If the attacks stopped, then that could only mean that we're near her or the other tributes. The others realize this too.

"Keep an eye out for others... especially her." Cato says.

I immediately felt nervous. No doubt that Katniss is not in her best state right now, and she could be alone. The thought of having them capture her makes my heart ache miserably. I try to think of a plan as we follow the trail that wasn't touched by the attacks.

We barely stop to rest; Cato is so intent on finding Katniss, sure that that's what the fireballs are for. So we continue to move forward until Cato begins to lose his patience and the last remnants of the day fade in the sky.

"Maybe we were wrong about the fireballs, Cato." Clove says.

Cato is unwilling to accept this. "No! I can feel it, we just have to keep on moving. We'll find her."

I can see that he - or anybody else in the Career pack - hasn't recovered yet, and they didn't bother to patch up their injuries, eager at the thought of eliminating her. We hear a splash of water nearby. No doubt that there's someone up ahead.

"There's someone ahead!" Marvel exclaims.

The whole group breaks into a run, but it is obvious that they have been drained of their strength. "Clove?" Cato shouts, he is running ahead of us.

"I'm here!" Clove answers.

"Glimmer? Harper?"

"Here." They call in unison, still coughing from the smoke.

"Try to move fast!" Marvel commands.

We hurl ourselves forward, oftentimes using the trees to support us, and I try to move as fast as I can, wanting to be there first. I will not let them hurt her. I can see the pool already, and I spot a retreating figure to the direction of the woods.

My heart sank. I can distinctly see the girl's braid even with the dim light.

It's Katniss.


	15. Tracker Jacker

**CHAPTER 15**

**TRACKER JACKER | _DAYS 4 TO 5, ARENA_**

* * *

The Careers ran even more excitedly as soon as they realized who it was.

"It's her!" Harper screamed, suddenly eager of the ongoing pursuit. "Hurry!"

My jaw tightened as she ran forward, and I made my legs move steadily at the quickest pace I can manage. _Run, Katniss! _I shout in my mind. I can see from the way she dragged her leg that she had been hurt from the fireballs' attacks, and that a considerable length of her hair had been singed. Even so, she is still a good distance away from us, having earned about a minute of head start.

I stealthily rest my hands on the handle of my knife, ready to attack if anybody hurts Katniss. They can easily finish me off once I try to attack them, but I need to protect her.

I panic as she stops in her tracks and begins to look around her. The group is closing in fast. _What is she doing! _I lurch forward, and that's when I see her position herself at the base of a tree. My mind immediately registers her actions, and I silently cheer her on as she scampers up the tree. Her movements are quick and graceful: it's easy to see how expertly she can climb. I allow myself to relax for a moment, glad that she has thought of this.

Panic returned to me as I wondered if the Careers know how to climb. _Is it part of their training? _But I remembered how they all easily tripped in the woods and allowed myself to hope that this skill evades them as well.

We've finally reached the base of her trunk, but by this time, Katniss is already a good twenty feet above. The Careers seem to be hesitating; no one has tried to follow her up and they are looking at one another, waiting for someone to volunteer. I can see Glimmer grinning widely, obviously pleased to have Katniss trapped.

"How's everything with you?" I hear Katniss say, breaking my thoughts. I detected a slight falseness in her tone; it's something that she uses in front of the others when she tries to look interested.

The Careers, however, doesn't notice this. Surprise is clear on their faces: they are not expecting her reaction. I gingerly remove the knife from my belt and looked at it studiously, wiping it repeatedly at the edge of my shirt to excuse myself from looking at her. I'm almost certain what she thinks of this alliance, and she's probably even more disgusted with me now. The Careers have always been hated in our district.

Cato is the first to recover. "Well enough. Yourself?"

"It's been a bit warm for my taste. The air's better up here, why don't you come on up?"

Her taunting voice triggers something from Cato. I get the impression that he doesn't back up from challenges. "Think I will."

"Here, take this Cato." Glimmer says, offering him the bow and arrows.

"No." he replies, shaking his head and pushing the bow away from him. "I'll do better with my sword."

I steel myself as I watch Cato position himself at the tree. Behind the confidence that he's trying to exude, I can clearly see how lost he is. He has probably never climbed a tree before, but he is unwilling to give up.

Cato began climbing, but his movements are far from the way Katniss expertly positioned her limbs earlier. I look up and see Katniss climbing higher, farther away from our grasp. Cato successfully reached about ten feet, but by this time, his target is another thirty feet above. I can see him struggle to try to hold on, but he positioned his leg in a weak branch and I hear the sharp crack as it breaks.

He fell. The others hurried to him and I followed them, hoping that he got broken bones. That will at least weaken him considerably. He lay there gasping, wide-eyed as he tried to breathe steadily.

"Are you okay?" Clove asks anxiously. "Did you hurt anything?"

Cato got back up on his feet, not wanting to show weakness. Anger dominates his features. It's clear that he hated looking like a loser, and he swore continuously.

"Glimmer! You're the thinnest one here, maybe you should try." Harper says.

Glimmer nods, securing the bow in her body. She begins climbing immediately, concentrating on every branch she holds on to. But she's still too heavy - we can hear the slight cracking as she steps on some. Afraid that she'll fall like Cato, Glimmer comes to a halt and steadies herself in a thick branch. I stood frozen in place, trying not to look too nervous as Glimmer positioned herself to aim. _Is she as accurate as Katniss? _I wondered frantically. _If she is, how will I stop her? _My heart went hollow as I realized that there's no way to prevent it once she released the arrow.

_Please miss, please miss... _I chanted in my head.

She did. Instead of landing on Katniss, the arrow gets lodged in a tree beside her. Glimmer tries again, but her shots always missed her target. She is no good with the weapon. Relief coursed through me.

I can see Katniss smile teasingly after Glimmer's failed attempts. I can feel her desire to get hold of the bow and arrows, and she reached over to retrieve the arrow near her and waved it at Glimmer.

_Katniss had done it! _The Careers are so angered now. Embarrassed, Glimmer went down the tree and joined us. Her face is flushed from the effort of climbing. Katniss had made the Careers look incompetent idiots in front of the whole audience. I felt so proud of her.

But my happiness at her success is short-lived. I know that they will not give this up, and they will do everything to get her. Unless she knows how to move from tree to tree, Katniss is trapped high above us, and the Careers may just be willing to wait until the Gamemakers decide to intervene when they think that things had become boring already.

"What are we going to do now?" Clove asks.

"That bitch! I want to kill her now!" Glimmer exclaims.

"She's mine." Cato growls. "We need to get her down here!"

"Why don't we burn the tree?" Marvel suggests.

"I've had enough fire and smoke for one day!" Harper complains.

Cato shakes his head. "That's an easy death for her. She'll just be a pain for a few minutes before she turns to ash. I want to torture her, make her scream for days."

I want to punch Cato's face but I restrained myself, aware that this moment is crucial for mine and Katniss's survival. My hands itched as I held it stiffly at my sides, and I sneak I glance at Katniss to regain calmness. She's standing motionless at the tree, ready to climb higher above if needed. I remembered the way she dragged her right leg, and I instantly know that she must be in a lot of pain. She needs to be able to rest.

"Oh, let her stay up there." I tell them, exasperated. "It's not like she's going anywhere. We'll deal with her in the morning."

They all looked at me doubtfully, probably deciding if I'm still trustworthy. Cato nods, seeming to accept this. "Let's camp here tonight as I think of a way to get her."

No one wanted to sleep on the tent because they don't want Katniss out of their sight. Which is pointless, of course, because by now, she's practically hidden by the darkness and the tree's branches. I lay back on the ground and trained my eyes on her tree. Marvel is guarding first, and I watch him and the others warily as they positioned themselves to sleep.

We hear the anthem play and I look up at the sky. There are no deaths today, but I'm sure that we'll still have a day of peace, especially now that things are heating up. So I kept all my senses alert, afraid that if I sleep, the others will make a move and I won't be able to stop it. I can feel the fatigue in my muscles caused by almost a whole day of running, but I refuse to give in. I have to stay awake to guard Katniss.

As I stared at the sky, afraid of what the morning will bring. When the Careers have rested enough, will they be able to come up with an idea to get Katniss? I hope that she can find a way to escape now. I don't want her to be caught by the Careers; the thought itself makes me flinch.

The sky is beginning to lighten already. It's Glimmer's turn to guard now. I allow myself to drift off for a while, thinking that I would be more functional if I am rested. I kept my hands locked on the knife so that I may be prepared for any immediate attack. _Katniss will be all right,_ I promise myself as I slip to unconsciousness.

* * *

The sound of a heavy object falling makes my eye open in alarm. I hear a loud buzzing noise, and I immediately register it as an unwelcome attack. The others have woken up too; and we are all on our feet at once.

"Tracker jackers!" I hear someone say.

"To the lake!" Another shouts. I don't have time to question this, and I don't even bother to grab my backpack with me. I follow the others who are headed in that direction, trying to dodge attacks and running as fast as my legs can. I distinctly feel something stinging my chest, then another one in my ear. I feel woozy in an instant, until I feel two more stings on my body.

_Will I die now? _I wondered. My eyesight is starting to get cloudy. I am aware that the tracker jackers can cause hallucination, and I can hear them buzzing as the followed us. I ran blindly for what seems like a long time until I feel the water rising to my knees. We must have made it to the lake.

We sank deeper in the water, hoping that the stingers will leave. I gasp for air from time to time and we stay there for a while, unwilling to get out and be chased again. When the buzzing seemed to fade away - _or is it just my illusion that it's gone now? _- I register Cato's voice.

"Katniss. It's the fault of that dumb bitch!"

I snap my head around and saw him to my right. Marvel and Clove are the only ones with us. "Think she made it?" Marvel asks.

The water seemed to prevent the venom from spreading fast. I can still make out their words, and I can still think. _Do they plan on going back? _Now that I have the time, I realized that the nest must have been dropped by Katniss to kill us. Glimmer and Harper are not here, and I assumed that they have been caught by the stingers. _Two down, _I thought. _That's a good thing, right?_

I shake my head from side to side, trying to clear my vision. Cato and the others seem to have recovered, and I can see them make their way out of the water. _They're coming back for Katniss! _I thought. She must be stung too.

Impulsively, I pushed myself out of the water and ran, grabbing the spear resting near the edge of the lake. My advantage is that I am closest to the area where we came from, so I have a head start. I stumbled around in the woods, trying to focus only on thoughts of Katniss. I know that this is already a violation of the alliance. I have exposed myself and my real intentions for joining them, but there's no turning back now. I have to return to Katniss's tree.

I pass by Harper's body and see that blisters have occupied most of her skin. Disgusted, I continue to run, ignoring the footsteps behind me. _I must be near, _I assumed, and I was right. I can see her hunched on Glimmer's body, holding the bow and arrows. She looks unstable to me, and I worried that she will pass out right then and there.

"What are you still doing here? Are you mad?" I tell her anxiously, not caring if Cato will hear. I have already exposed myself.

She doesn't move, so I prod her with the shaft of my spear. She can't stay here, I can hear Cato's footsteps getting nearer. "Get up! Get up!"

She rises slowly, but she seems dazed. I continue to push her away from the location, but she still doesn't make a move to run. I try to shove her, hoping that this will make her muscles react. _Please don't pass out_ _now._

I risk a look backwards and I make out Cato's features. Panic rushed through me. "Run! Run!" I scream at her.

Thankfully, Katniss seemed to finally regain some of her senses and she started turning away, bringing the bow and arrows with her. The tracker jacker's venom must be affecting her already as she ran unsteadily away. I pray that she'll get out fast enough, or that the venom will take effect on us also. Earlier at the lake, I saw that Cato had been stung as well.

By now, Cato had already reached the spot where we camped and is turning angrily towards me. I know that he had seen me talking to Katniss, letting her escape. I raised my spear, preparing for the attack that is sure to come. My vision is getting worse now, but I can still make out Cato's figure. I can hear Marvel and Glimmer's footsteps, but it still seems farther away...

Cato launched his whole weight on me, trying to hit me with his sword. I effectively dodged his attack and swiped my spear at him, grazing him by the arms. Adrenaline coursed through me. He lunged forward again, knocking both of us to the ground, and I can feel his weight pin me down on the ground. I used all my strength to get him out of me, but he's considerably heavier.

_This is it, I'm going to die now. _

The only ray of hope that I have left is that Cato's eyes looked distant. The venom is starting to work its way into our systems. I felt a sharp stab of pain on my leg. I ignored it, using my remaining strength again to get out of his grasp. I was successful this time.

I stabbed him once before turning away. The world is already starting to spin, but I push forward, driven by thoughts that Katniss could be lying somewhere, unconscious and very vulnerable. There are other tributes who have the advantage of not getting stung by the tracker jackers, and I pray that they won't spot Katniss today.

I stumble through the trees, not really knowing where to go. I just knew that I need to stay as far away as possible. The trees around me suddenly seemed to come to life, gripping me. The trees transformed to a swirl of different colors. I tried to shake them off, when I saw large balloons pop out of nowhere. I pushed against it, moving further away until my legs felt light. I crumpled to the ground. I crawled forward and nestled myself in between the balloons, hoping that they'll serve as my cocoon until I become conscious again.

And then there was darkness.


	16. Camouflage

**CHAPTER 16**

**CAMOUFLAGE | _DAYS 7 TO 10, ARENA_**

* * *

I woke up trembling, slowly opening my eyes to the pale hues of dawn. I blink my eyes as I slowly turned my head from side to side, trying to make sense of my surroundings. The small movements made my head spin instantly, so I remained still for a while as I stared at the sky. _I am still alive, _I thought in astonishment.

Pain dominates my entire body, but I ignore this first as I try to think back of the past events. I have been tormented by dreams of Katniss dying. Bloody, mutilated, pale white... it all alternated to various scenarios of the Careers torturing her. It was very painful to watch, and I struggled to break free of the images that haunted me. All to no avail, because the venom seemed to incapacitate me.

I tried to sit up slowly. The last thing I remember was pushing Katniss away from the tracker jacker tree. I know that I saw her stumble to the trees... _that couldn't be a hallucination, right? _My visions under the venom are nowhere near acceptable: Katniss died in every image.

_Is she still alive? Can my visions be a premonition of what is happening to her while I was unconscious? _I refuse to accept those thoughts. I saw Cato's dazed look before I ran away; surely, he too fell unconscious after a short while. Katniss can't die.

The worst part is, I have no idea how long I have been unconscious, and I don't know who's still alive. _Were there any deaths while I was out? _The pain in my body is growing stronger now that I'm slowly regaining my senses. I peek at my left leg - the one where Cato cut me - and felt revolted at the sight of my wound. Blood smeared my pants, but the cut in the fabric revealed the barely healing wound. I can feel sharp stabs of pain in that area, but I have no supplies to begin with, so I really can't do anything about it.

My strength has evaded me. I feel weak to the bones; there's nothing else I want to do right now other than to lie back and wait for death. Maybe the other tributes will find me here and finish me off, effectively ending my agony. But I know that I can't just give in; not now, not when the Careers are tracking Katniss and I can't lead them off her anymore.

So instead of giving up, I gather up my remaining strength - wincing at each movement - as I tried to stand up. My knees gave in immediately; and I know I can't handle that task. Instead, I begin crawling to the edge of the stream, eyeing a place where I can camouflage myself. It's my final defense; the one thing that can keep me alive here.

* * *

I positioned myself near the stream so that I can easily have water in case I need it; and knelt beside a thick layer of mud. This will be a good starting point: my clothes have a dark color so I won't have much trouble coating my body.

I grabbed a handful of mud and begin painting myself with it, starting from the foot. I had to bite my lip to stop myself from screaming as I covered my leg. The pain from my wound is excruciating. I know that I have to clean it and that the mud can worsen its condition, but that's not my priority now. I'm defenseless and a perfect target for any tribute, even for the child from District 11 if she were to kill me. The first thing I need to do now is to stay hidden. I will work out my strategy from there while I try to regain my strength.

It's already late afternoon when I have finally finished covering my entire body and face with mud and leaves. I settled myself in my niche for the next few hours or days and stared at the sky. I haven't heard the cannon today so I'm guessing that no one died. A few hours later, I see the Capitol's seal, informing us that there are no deaths today. I sighed, my thoughts wandering back to Katniss. _Where could she be now? _

I spent the next few hours thinking of all the possibilities, but everything revolves around the idea that she's still alive. I don't know why I'm so confident about that - perhaps because my heart doesn't feel hollow and I am still motivated to stay alive. I still have a purpose.

* * *

I drifted in and out of slumber, haunted by dreams of Cato running after me. I become aware of the passage of time through changes in the sky's color. _When was the last time I ate? _I wondered. Surprisingly (and thankfully) though, my stomach seems to reject the idea of eating, so I didn't bother getting up to look for food.

I was contemplating on my lack of appetite when I hear the fire of the cannon. My heart froze. _It's not Katniss, it's not Katniss. _I began chanting. I find myself wishing for my strength to come back already. There's nothing else I would want to do right now other than to track her and see for myself that she's alive.

Sleep overcame me again a few minutes later, and I welcomed it in hopes that I will feel better. A few hours later, I felt the ground shake lightly, accompanied by the sound of an explosion. I stayed still, listening around if there's someone nearby before I slowly opened my eyes to take a look around. I wanted to get up to check more clearly, but I instantly realized that my body is not up for that task yet. _Could this be another intervention by the Gamemakers? Or is it caused by other tributes?_ But there are no bombs for tributes to use in the Cornucopia...

That's when it hit me. I saw the black smoke coming from the south and heard a few more explosions, but these are weaker than the first. Someone tried to go into the Careers' supply pile.

I wondered who it was and waited patiently for the cannon. I felt unease spread through me as I remembered when Cato said that whoever tries to steal from their supplies will blow up into pieces. And this could mean that Blythe's job has ended - he has no more use for them. But the Careers depended on the supplies so much that I doubt Cato will be happy at the death of the thief. I can even bet that things will be harder for them - do they even know how to hunt or gather food? I doubt that. If they did, we would have done that instead of go back to the Cornucopia when we were out tracking. That would have saved a lot of time.

The cannon came a few minutes later, and I watch as the hovercraft appeared to gather the dead body. However, I can't see who it was given that it's a good distance away, so I had to wait for the announcement of the deaths.

_It's not Katniss,_ I thought to myself. I still feel the drive to get better and find her, so I'm almost certain that sh's still out here somewhere, still hopefully untouched by Cato and the others. But of course, the thought that she's alive makes me feel even more helpless, because that would only mean that the remaining Careers - Cato, Marvel, and Clove as I remembered - are actively searching for her.

When I finally hear the anthem of Panem, I curiously look up at the sky to see who died today. Apparently, it's Blythe, the boy from 3 and the boy from 10.

I felt pity for Blythe. I was right; Cato has decided that he's not useful anymore. My brow wrinkled in confusion. One died in the morning, and the other from the explosion this afternoon. _Did Cato kill Blythe in the morning?_ Maybe that's why the thief - I'm assuming it's the boy from 10 - tried to get to the supplies. But I still can't shake off the feeling that I'm missing some detail. I thought that Cato would kill Blythe only when the supplies have blown up already...

I let it go for the moment because even though I was just lying the whole day, I felt very exhausted. I let sleep overcome me again, still hoping that the morning will give me better health.

* * *

It didn't. When I woke up the next day, I am groggy and I can't even move my head around. To say the least, I felt a thousand times worse than the previous night. But I can't lose hope now.

Since I can't move around to get water or food, which I'm not in the mood for anyway because my stomach is still not up to it, I spent the entire day sleeping. I've never felt this weak my whole life, not even when my mother beat me badly.

My thoughts traveled to our home in District 12. _Are they watching me now?_ If they are, surely mother would be laughing, probably even complaining about how weak I am. But my father... I know he'll be worried. He had always taken that role, especially during those times that I can't get out of bed after a nasty beating session. My mother would shout and pester me to get up and go to the market, but my father almost always stood up for me and took responsibility for my missed job. My brothers are barely any help; they're terrified of mother.

My health is deteriorating rapidly, no doubt about that - all thanks to Cato's cut in my leg. _Weren't we able to get any sponsors at all? Or is Haymitch too drunk to notice my dying state?_

I continue to drift in and out of sleep, unable to fight the weariness in my body anymore. The disappointment at the thought that no one wanted to sponsor is too draining. _What could that mean for Katniss and I? _She might also be weakened by the tracker jacker's venom. _Could she also be out there, lying helplessly like I am now? _I hope not.

I pushed the thought away from my mind. _She's fine. __She's not like me; even my mother said that she's a survivor. Katniss's health is nowhere near mine._

What I wouldn't give to see her at this very moment. Maybe that's why there's no help coming in: the audience would not want to sponsor someone weak like me who's just camouflaged and lying in a muddy bank. A tear slowly rolled down my cheek. I can never deserve someone like Katniss when I can't even stay strong enough to look for her. I am worthless.

_I failed my mission to save her, _I thought as I welcomed the weight crushing my body down.

* * *

_I was just about to enter the house when I suddenly see her. She was wearing the beautiful blue dress that she used during the Reaping, and her hair is styled in its usual braid._

_"Katniss." I whisper. She smiled at me lovingly in return and walked towards me slowly. I was dazzled by her, and the only thing I can do is stare._

_When she reached me, Katniss looked me straight in the eye, tiptoed, and kissed me on the cheek; at the same spot she kissed me after the opening ceremony. My skin tingled in response, and she smiled playfully at me before turning away._

_"Katniss." I called after her._

_Then out of nowhere, Cato and Clove appeared, taking Katniss's arms and dragging her. I ran to her but Marvel came up, pinning my arms to my back and restraining it with shackles. They forced me to watch helplessly as they kicked, punched, and stabbed Katniss all over her body until she fell unconscious. Satisfied, Marvel removed my restraints and Katniss's tormenters ran away._

_I rushed to her side, cradling her limp body in my arms. But it's too late. They have succeeded in hurting the only girl I care about, and she's broken beyond repair. _

_There's nothing left to save. _

* * *

"Katniss!" I gasped, my eyes flying open in time to hear the consecutive sounds of the cannon. I looked around, panicking. _Who's cannon were those? __No no no... _

I hate this mud, this arena, this game. I hate the Capitol for forcing us into this situation. And I hate being stuck here, not being able to do anything because my body won't obey. I need to know where she is. She's alive, she has to be.

Troubled by my dream and the unpleasant sound (and timing) of the cannon, sleep evaded me completely. I can say that it's late afternoon now because of the sky's colors - closer to orange than bright blue, with hints of grey in some parts. I lay in the mud, trying to think of what to do now. I need to see her.

_Haymitch._ This is the time where I need him the most, but he seems to have abandoned me completely. _Is he doing the same to Katniss?_ If she is hurt, I'm hoping that he has at least tried to extend some help to her. I wondered what I need to do to win some help. I'm practically dying now, but nothing has appeared. I continued to stare in the horizon, watching the sunset but not really appreciating it as I would normally do. My heart is filled with too much dread to appreciate beauty now.

Night came, and when the seal of Panem appeared in the sky, I looked up at it expectantly. Marvel's face appeared in the sky, followed by Rue, the little girl from District 11. A mixture of emotions overcame me: I was actually relieved that the Careers lost another member, but I felt horrible when I saw Rue's face. She's far too vulnerable and too young to be subjected to this kind of fate.

Their cannons came simultaneously, so I'm guessing that Marvel killed Rue, and someone avenged Rue's death by killing Marvel. _Who could it be? Is it her fellow tribute from District 11? But he doesn't seem to care about her during the training... so it must be someone else. _

Hope swelled inside me. The only person I can think of who would make an alliance with Rue is Katniss.

_Can I be right?_ I certainly hope so. But if I was, she must be devastated at Rue's tragic death.

Night and day passed quickly, and I wasn't able to get a peaceful sleep anymore. Nightmares invaded me whenever I fell asleep so I preferred to stay awake. I continued to grow restless with each passing day.

Today, though, has been peaceful. I didn't hear the cannon, and I wasn't at all surprised when the sky reported that there are no deaths today. I was prepared to close my eyes as soon as the anthem ended, but the sound of trumpets came unexpectedly. I know what this means - the Gamemakers will be inviting us to a feast, which equates to more bloodbath. They've done this many times before in the previous years. They've probably decided that the deaths in the past few days are not enough anymore. They need more entertainment.

I look up at the sky, waiting for the official announcement. But Claudius Templesmith's words came out as another surprise.

"Congratulations to the six tributes who have lasted this far in the Games!" He began.

_Ah. At least now I have an idea of the Game's status. _

"The Gamemakers have decided to make a rule change this year." He continued. _What rules? _I wondered.

"Under the new rule, both tributes from the same district will be declared winners if they are the last two alive."

He paused, allowing us to absorb this announcement. My mind went blank for a second. "I repeat: the last two tributes will be declared as winners IF they are from the same district. So... Happy Hunger Games!"

I blinked up at the sky. _I heard it right, didn't I? _Claudius Templesmith said it twice.

My hear started beating rapidly in my chest, and I can't shake the thought that this rule change can be meant for us. _But why? Were the people intrigued by my declaration of love for Katniss during the interview? But nothing really happened to make them excited about our relationship..._

Cato and Clove are still alive, though, so that means they'll be more aggressive in their search for us. The arena has become an even more dangerous place. _Is that what they want? A standoff between District 2 and District 12? _

I was trying to figure out the Gamemakers' intentions and what led to this rule change when a smile slowly crept in my face. _Katniss and I can both live, _I thought. _But can I do it? Can I stay strong enough to find her? _I have to be.

But more importantly, will Katniss want to become my ally?There's only one way to find out; but first, my body needs to cooperate. I welcomed sleep with open arms, optimistic about the following day. I am determined to find her no matter what.


	17. Allies

**_Happy Holidays everyone!_**

_**Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, followed, and added this story to their favorites! I love you all!**_

_**Here's an extra long chapter for you guys! Happy reading!**_

* * *

**CHAPTER 17**

**ALLIES | _DAY 11, ARENA_**

* * *

The morning made me feel more helpless. My body has grown too weak that even my determination is not enough to make my muscles move. I sighed, exasperated. I don't want to just lie here, waiting. But there's really nothing I can do.

I close my eyes to shield my emotions from the prying audience. I don't want them to see me lose hope, so I'll have to look calm and strong despite my condition. _Is Katniss looking for me? _It's hard to guess because she had been very unpredictable.

The mud back had been my home for the past few days now that sounds around me. It had mostly been the quiet sound of the rustling leaves and the birds chirping. I have resigned to he idea that I have to stay in this mud a while longer as I try to regain my health. So when I hear my name being called - by her voice, no less - I was startled. I open my eyes a bit to check if I wasn't being delusional.

My heart swelled at the sight of her. She's so close to me that I can almost feel her body heat radiating. _She did find me! _I thought, but I felt almost embarrassed that I wasn't able to do that simple task. She must have seen traces of blood that dripped from my wound, because I'm certain that Katniss will never risk calling me if she doesn't know that I'm nearby. _But__ how did she know it's my blood? Does she know that I'm wounded? How?_

This is the chance that I've been waiting for, and I'm not going to waste her effort in looking for me. I will not let her out of my sight now.

"You here to finish me off, sweetheart?" I whisper. This is the first time that I've spoken in days, and I myself was surprised at how weak I sounded. I kept my eyes closed, waiting to see if she will be able to find me.

There's silence for a minute when I hear her whisper again. "Peeta? Where are you?"

_I must have camouflaged myself well, _I thought, slightly proud of my work. I've tricked even a good hunter like Katniss!

"Peeta?" She said again.

I can feel her closer now, and I know even without looking that she is standing right beside me. One more step and she'll be stepping on my body. She'd probably realize my disguise by then, but I don't really think my body can take more pain.

"Well, don't step on me." I tell her. I waited for a few moments, but she still doesn't seem to realize it. I decided to help her by opening my eyes, staring straight into her eyes.

She gasped and jumped back slightly. Her expression is so surprised that I have to laugh a little. Relief coursed through me now that I've finally proved to myself that Katniss is alive.

She stared at me for a second longer. "Close your eyes again." She said. I obediently did as she ordered, and even with my eyes closed, I can feel her eyes appraising me. I felt her kneel beside me. "I guess all those hours of decorating cakes paid off."

I smile, remembering that time in the training center where she got mad at me after I painted my arm. "Yes, frosting. The final defense of the dying."

"You're not going to die." She says, a hint of that hard tone on her voice again.

"Says who?" I ask. Even the effort of speaking seems to be too much to handle for me.

"Says me. We're on the same team now, you know."

I open my eyes, surprised. I didn't really expect her to look for me after that announcement, much more that she would want to team up with me. " So I heard. Nice of you to find what's left of me."

Katniss pulls out a water bottle from her pack and brings it close to my mouth. "Did Cato cut you?" She asks. _How did she know? Is it possible that she remembered those last few minutes in the tracker jacker tree, and she assumed that I fought with Cato?_

"Left leg. Up high." I answer.

"Let's get you in the stream, wash you off so I can see what kind of wounds you've got."

So she's serious about teaming up with me. Happiness swelled inside me, and at this moment with my life hanging by a thread, I allowed myself to drown in this feeling. I decide to take advantage of this as much as I can.

"Lean down a minute first. Need to tell you something." I tell her, because I can't really move my head up to whisper in her ear. She leans over and brings her ear close to my lips. I can smell her hair, and I inhaled deeply. I have never been this close to her. "Remember, we're madly in love, so it's all right to kiss me anytime you feel like it." I joke.

She jerked her head away from my lips and I suddenly felt nervous if I stepped over the line. _Did I upset her? _But before I can contemplate any further, I hear her laughing loudly. Another surprise today.

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind." She answers playfully.

Katniss starts helping me up, but I'm still too weak to do anything. She tried dragging me out of my niche, but sharp, stabbing pains hit me. I cried loudly, biting my lip. I didn't realize that the sounds have escaped me, and I felt even more ashamed because I'm obviously not helping our situation.

She looked at me pitifully before she succeeded in dragging my body forcefully away from the mud and plants. I grit my teeth together, tears spilling freely from my eyes. The pain is unbearable; every inch of my body seemed to be pushed way beyond it's limit.

"Look, Peeta, I'm going to roll you into the stream. It's very shallow here, okay?"

I know that Katniss will not purposely hurt me, but I guess she doesn't have an idea of how much pain I'm really in. Every movement seemed to tear me apart. Even the feel of the wind on my now-free body and leg is excruciating.

"Excellent," I tell her, not wanting to complain when I'm unable to do anything else. Katniss is only trying to help me, so I will allow her to do whatever she wants with me.

She crouched beside me. "On three," She warns. "One, two, three!"

I try to help her by pushing my body forward, and I was able to do one full roll. But the cries of pain escaped me again, and no matter what I do, I can't really stop it. I'm almost at the edge of the stream. If Katniss plans to put me in there, I don't know if I'll be able to get back up. I'll probably drown, and I'm way too heavy for her frail body to carry easily.

"Okay, change of plans. I'm not going to put you all the way in."

"No more rolling?" I ask her, relieved. The pain from that movement is too much.

"That's all done. Let's get you cleaned up. Keep an eye on the woods for me, okay?"

She paused for a moment, looking at my body like she's debating on something. I alternate looking between her face and the woods, staying alert for any sounds of someone approaching. My cries earlier were far too loud, and anyone nearby can easily detect us here. I can't risk her life because of my weakness.

Now that I know she's safe, I actually feel guilty as I look at her. Aside from the wounds and burns on her skin, Katniss looks well. Taking me as an ally makes her more vulnerable. Plus I'm not of any help to her now. _So why did she do it? Why is she still here with me?_

I was too afraid to ask the question so I let her soak me in water and clean my body. The mud I placed on myself was too thick that it took a while before my clothes became noticeable. She unzips my jacket and unbuttons my shirt, gently removing both. Katniss tries to remove my undershirt too but it clung to my wounds, so she cut it with her knife instead.

Katniss supports my back and head and helped me to sit up. The fresh water on my body had a calming effect, like those days on our suite during training. I felt my strength notch up a bit. I sit against the boulder without complaining, even though this position is still way too painful for me. I had been lying for quite a long time that my muscles have grown numb.

She worked on me meticulously, cleaning my entire body with water from the stream. I'm so glad that I reached this place before I fell unconscious from the tracker jacker's venom. I peek at my chest and see that the stings have formed huge lumps already.

"I'm sorry." She whispers. "This is painful, but I need to dig it out. Otherwise, you won't feel better."

Just the mere fact that she's taking care of me already makes me feel a bit better. I nod at her to show her that I'm okay with it, thankful that she's being patient with me. I wince as she took the stingers out one by one, but I endure this pain silently because I've already caused her too much trouble.

I keep an eye on the woods to distract myself from the pain. I feel something hot and wet touch my stings, bringing with it an instant feeling of relief. The ache seemed to subside immediately, and I peek at my wounds curiously. Katniss had placed some leaves on my lumps: that must have caused the relief from my pain. I was about to ask her how she knew this when I remembered that her mother is a healer. She must have picked it up from her.

Katniss leaves me for a moment to wash my clothes in the stream. When she comes beside me again, she's holding a sort of medicine and applies it to the burnt area of my chest. She digs through the first aid kit and gives me some pills.

"Swallow these," she orders. I take it from her and do as she said. "You must be hungry."

"Not really. It's funny, I haven't been hungry for days."

"You need to eat. Here, have some groosling." Katniss says, bringing a slice close to my mouth.

I wrinkle my nose in disgust, my stomach turning at the smell. I turn my face away from the groosling to indicate that I'm not up for it.

"Peeta, we need to get some food in you."

"It will just come right back up." It will just be a waste of food if she insists that I take a bite of the groosling. She should eat it instead.

"Fine. But at least try the dried apple."

I look at it, debating if I can take it in without vomiting. I don't want to make her think that I'm being difficult, but at the same time, I also don't want to waste food.

Katniss sees my hesitation. "Just one bite. Please?"

I take a small bite and she smiles briefly. "Thanks. I'm much better, really." I tell her before she forces me to eat some more. "Can I sleep now, Katniss?" By now, my body feels really tired from the effort of sitting up.

"Soon. I need to look at your leg first."

I pursed my lips together, sure of the pain that will come. Katniss tried to be as gentle as she can - removing my boots, pants, and socks as lightly as possible. I watch her expression shift to a sickened look as she stares at my wound, and her skin looks slightly green. I haven't seen the cut since I woke up after the hallucinations, and I risk looking at it now. I immediately understood what made her look like that. The gash has become inflamed and there's blood and pus oozing out from it. My leg is also swollen. It looked hideous, to say the least.

"Pretty awful, huh?" I tell her.

"So-so." She answers, shrugging. "You should see some of the people they bring my mother from the mines." But that didn't convince me - her skin still hasn't returned to its normal color. I wondered if she reacts like this every time they bring in patients with a bad case. _Surely, she should have been used to it now, right?  
_

"First thing is to clean it well." I felt my admiration grow for Katniss as I watch her work on me. It's obvious that she's not comfortable with what she's doing, but she continues to help me, anyway. She begins cleaning the lower half of my body, placing a small square of plastic underneath me so that she can wash me properly. Katniss treats the one sting on my leg and the burns, then she seemed lost in thought again.

"Why don't we give it some air and then..."

"And then you'll patch it up?" I say, finishing her sentence. I wanted to hug her now, but I'm still not sure how she will react to that. So I kept my hands to myself.

"That's right. In the meantime, you eat these." She adds, giving me a few dried pear halves and leaves me again to wash my clothes.

I can't help but notice that she left my undershorts on, and she made no move to remove it. It's actually starting to itch now that my whole body is clean and it's the only filthy item left. I would have wanted it to get cleaned, but I still don't have enough strength to do it on my own and I can barely ask her to wash it for me.

While she's waiting for my clothes to dry, she spreads out the contents of the first aid kit. "We're going to have to experiment some," she tells me after a while. I didn't respond because I don't really know what else she has to do, so I obediently sat still.

Katniss brings out a handful of leaves and I watch as she chews it in her mouth before placing it in my wound. I didn't feel disgusted at all - in fact, I'm amazed at the steadiness she brings into this situation. After a few minutes, pus begins dripping from my stings, and I observe as her face turns green again and I see her bite the inside of her cheeks.

"Katniss?" I speak, wanting to distract her. "How about that kiss?" I mouthed jokingly.

...and jokes are half meant, I must admit.

It worked; Katniss stared at my face for a second and laughs loudly again. _I love the sound of her laugh, and the way it makes her eyes twinkle lightly. _I want to hear it more often.

"Something wrong?" I ask her, trying to sound innocent.

"I... I'm no good at this." She admits. "I'm not my mother. I've no idea what I'm doing and I hate pus."

I tried to keep from smiling. I never thought I'd hear Katniss ramble about her weakness.

"Euh!" She groans as she removes the leaves from my skin and rinses way the pus. "Euhhh!" She let out again.

I shake my head lightly, surprised that of all the things, I never expected her to be horrified of blood and pus. I assumed that since she hunts on a daily basis, her tolerance for bloody things and wounds have increased.

"How do you hunt?" I ask her curiously.

"Trust me. Killing things is much easier than this. Although for all I know, I'm killing you."

"Can you speed it up a little?" I ask, teasing her.

"No. Shut up and eat your pears."

I smile at her and slowly nibbled on the dried pears she gave me. I can feel some of my strength returning now that the pain from the tracker jackers are slowly subsiding. All thanks to Katniss.

Now that the swelling from the lumps have decreased considerably, my wound from Cato's sword is now more prominent. I watch as she hesitated again.

"What's next, Dr. Everdeen?"

"Maybe I'll put some of the burn ointment on it. I think it helps with infection anyway. And wrap it up?"

She does it while speaking, and when my wound is finally covered with the white bandage, I see her staring at my undershorts.

"Here," She says, handing me a small backpack. "Cover yourself with this and I'll wash your shorts."

"Oh, I don't care if you see me." I tell her.

"You're just like the rest of my family. I care, all right?"

I have to bite back another laugh as she quickly turns around and looks pointedly away from me. She may be lethal with her weapons, but Katniss is just so... innocent. It makes her more lovable.

I slowly ease my undershorts down my legs and toss it lightly into the stream. My health has improved considerably, given that I can barely even lift my head up when she found me. "You know, you're kind of squeamish for such a lethal person. I wish I'd let you give Haymitch a shower after all."

"What's he sent you so far?"

"Not a thing." I say, remembering how disappointed I've been that Haymitch wasn't able to send me help while I was lying in the mud. I could have gone around the woods to search for Katniss myself if he tried to help me, and Katniss wouldn't be exerting so much effort on me if I got some medicine for my leg.

Then it hit me. On the contrary, Haymitch probably sent her something, because otherwise, why would she ask me, right?

"Why, did you get something?"

"Burn medicine. Oh, and some bread."

"I always knew you were his favorite." I say, envious. I'm glad that Haymitch didn't abandon Katniss because that's what I would have wanted him to do, anyway. But now that I know he can get sponsors, was it really to hard to send me something? I'm pretty sure that he saw my agony while I lay there in the mud. If he extended some help to me, I would have been more useful to her.

"Please, he can't stand being in the same room with me." Katniss replies.

She's right, of course. They've been bickering nonstop from the tribute train up 'til the interviews, but I've always seen it as a result of their similarities. Katniss and Haymitch both have fiery qualities - once they set their mind on something, there's no changing it. They're stubborn as hell.

"Because you're just alike." I explain.

Katniss ignores my comment, but I'm guessing that she hated it. "You can sleep now while we wait for your clothes to dry. I'll keep watch, don't worry. Rest now."

I wanted to protest, arguing that she has already done so much and she should be the one resting, but as soon as I let my eyes close, sleep overcame me almost immediately. This time, I wasn't plagued with nightmares. The day's events allowed me to rest peacefully after so long.

* * *

A short while later, I feel a light tugging on my shoulder. "Peeta, we have to go now."

Her voice coaxes me back to reality. I'm not sure how long I've been asleep - two, three hours maybe? - but I can see from the sky that it's already late afternoon.

"Go?" I ask her, my mind still clouded by sleep. "Go where?"

"Away from here. Downstream maybe. Somewhere we can hide you until you're stronger."

Katniss gives me my newly washed clothes and helps me into them. Her hands are so gentle as she assists me, and I can't help noticing how good she has been to me. When I'm fully dressed, she tries to help me up on my feet - which Katniss left bare so I can walk in the water - and I inhale deeply as sharp pains shot through my leg. I was already way stronger than I was when I woke up after Katniss healed some of my wounds. To be honest, the only thing she hasn't been able to solve was Cato's cut. The burns and stings are all better now, and they're not painful anymore.

"Come on, you can do this." She urges me, allowing me to rest some of my weight on her shoulders so that my injured leg won't have to bear any. I did my best to walk downstream, but the effort is draining too much energy from me. I start feeling dizzy. Still, I walked without complaining because it's the only thing I can do to at least be helpful. We can barely stay out in the open, and I won't let Katniss be exposed in that kind of risk because of my injury.

After a while, Katniss thankfully stops walking and makes me sit on the bank. "Put your head between your knees. This will make the dizziness go away. Just tell me when you feel better already." She directs me. I follow her instructions, and sure enough, my head started to clear. I stay in this position for a while longer until I'm certain that my head has cleared. I don't want to delay our journey more; we need to get settled before nighttime.

Katniss decided to stay in a cave only a short distance away from where we stopped. She half-carried me inside and gently eased me down on the cave as she covered the floor with pine needles. I watched her, panting. The short trek was already too tiring for my body, but I'm still glad that I was at least able to move around, albeit minimally and with a lot of support from her.

"I'm sorry for being a terrible ally." I whisper to her. "I promise to make it up to you as soon as I regain my strength."

She looks up from what she's doing, surprise and compassion filling her eyes as she stared at my own. "You don't have to apologize, Peeta." She looked like she wanted to say something more but decided against it, and I didn't push her for more details. She proceeded to roll her sleeping bag on the floor before turning to me again. "Lie here, it will help shield you from the night air."

I obeyed her without objecting, aware of the chills running through my body. My teeth are starting to chatter lightly, the hair on my arms and legs raising goosebumps on my skin. My jacket is barely offering me any protection, and my raging fever only worsened the cold. Now that I'm lying down again, exhaustion overpowered me, and I felt my eyes droop immediately. I notice her as she handed me some more pills, and I took it drowsily, downing it with a few gulps of water.

"You really should eat." Katniss says, holding a slice of groosling near my face again.

"I can't. My stomach isn't up for it yet."

"How about some fruits?" She prods, hoping that she'll be able to make me eat again. I shake my head slowly.

"I'm not hungry. Thank you Katniss." I tell her. Her actions meant a lot to me.

She sighs, defeated. I watch as she made her way to the mouth of the cave, trying to conceal the entrance from wandering eyes. She used vines to cover it, but she just patched it on top of each other without bothering with the details. As a result, the output is unsatisfactory, and she stared at her work, frustrated. I smile slightly. Katniss had never been known for patience.

"I can help do that if you want."

Katniss's eyes flicker to mine. "No, it's okay. I'll try doing it again tomorrow. Just rest now, alright?" She says, walking back towards me. But not before she tears down her handiwork in frustration.

"Katniss," I say. She kneels beside me and brushes my hair back from my eyes. It had grown long in the arena. "Thank you for finding me."

I would have wanted to say a lot more, but I settled for that simple thing instead. I owe her my life.

"You would have found me if you could." She replies.

She's right, and I'm glad that she knows that. But despite the fact that Katniss has successfully treated my burns and stings, I can feel my health deteriorating again. "Yes. Look, if I don't make it back - "

Katniss cut me off mid-sentence. "Don't talk like that. I didn't drain all that pus for nothing."

"I know." I tell her. "But just in case I don't - " I begin again.

"No, Peeta. I don't even want to discuss this." She placed her finger on my mouth to quiet me.

But she has to know. If I don't make it back, I need to be able to let her know that I've meant everything I said at the interview, that it's not just for show. That I want her to make it back to District 12, live a happy life, and tell my family that I love them. I already feel so weak, the fever killing me inside out. I would have wanted to stay longer beside her, but how can I stop fate if it's already my time?

"But I -" I start, determined to get the words out.

She stopped me again, but this time, it's her lips that prohibited my mouth from speaking. I felt my body freeze, but my heart thumped loudly in my chest. _Does she really want me to stay alive? _I pushed everything away from my mind and focused instead on her soft lips against mine. My insides tingled, and I savored the moment I once thought would only exist in my dreams.

"You're not going to die." She says firmly when she breaks away. "I forbid that."

"All right," I whisper. _How can I deny her request when she's being like that? _My heart fluttered long after her lips left mine.

I will gladly endure this pain any day if it means getting to spend time with her, especially if it's Katniss herself who asked for it._ Is it possible to fall more deeply for her? _ I think I just did.


	18. Drugged

**CHAPTER 18**

**DRUGGED | _DAYS 11 TO 13, ARENA_**

* * *

After effectively shutting me up about dying, Katniss insisted that I sleep again.

"Katniss, I slept earlier." I protested. "You need to rest. I can keep watch."

"I am still well-rested Peeta. You need sleep to regain your strength, okay? I'll wake you up if something came up." She counters.

I sighed. Arguing with her doesn't seem to get me anywhere; she always insists on getting her way. I settled on watching her as she moved around our little cave, but I drifted in and out of sleep. My body is more tired and wasted than I would like to imagine.

* * *

I was in this state of unconsciousness when I felt a soft pressure on my lips. My eyes flew open, startled, and then I saw her face inches away from mine and I realized what it was.

Katniss kissed me.

I wasn't sure if she's trying to wake me up or if she's really just kissing me in my sleep, but I looked up at her with the widest grin I can manage because I was just so happy at that moment - so much that it felt like my heart will burst out of its place.

She smiled back at me and my heart reacted accordingly. I don't think I'll ever get used to her smile (or laugh), and I cherish each one because I know that those moments are limited.

"Peeta, look watch Haymitch has sent you." She says sweetly, holding up a pot for me to see.

"Really?" I asked, brightening even more. _Finally, a parachute. _"Thank you Haymitch." I said aloud, knowing that he will hear.

Katniss laughed lightly. "Well you have to eat it now while it's still hot."

I frowned slightly. "But I'm not exactly hungry..."

"Peeta."

"I might puke."

"Please? Just do it for me."

There. She's starting it again. "Fine. Just one sip, okay?" I tell her, trying to bargain.

She pursed her lips together while helping me up to a sitting position. "We'll see."

"Katniss,"

"Open your mouth, Peeta." She instructs.

I opened my mouth slightly, all the while looking into her eyes and smiling. She pushes the spoon towards me and I let the hot soup trickle down my throat. It tastes good.

"You really have to sip some more, you can hardly let this gift go to waste."

"You can have it, Katniss. In fact, I'd prefer if you eat that soup, as my way of saying thank you for taking care of me. And you really need to taste that delicious thing."

"If it's delicious, then take some more."

"Nope." I said stubbornly, smiling.

She looks aghast that I rejected her request. "If you're going to be so stubborn about not eating this soup, I'm going to leave you here alone."

I didn't know how serious she was or if she's just using that as a tactic, but I took the bait and playfully widened my eyes in alarm. "Please don't leave a sick man alone."

"Then eat." She said, forcing another spoonful into my mouth again. I obediently took it.

"Okay, that's my limit, I'm sorry." I tell her.

"Peeta..." Impulsively, Katniss leaned down on me and kissed me. "Will you please just do this for me?" She said when she broke away.

"You're a master in bargaining." I say weakly. _Why does she have to be so irresistible?_

"I have to be." She says, winking.

We continue this banter: Katniss coaxing, begging, and threatening; while I tried to reject each of her attacks by providing sound excuses. To be honest, I didn't really feel like eating at first, but when I found out that this will allow me to get more kisses from her, I used it as leverage until the pot was emptied. In a sense, we both won - Katniss successfully made me drink the entire pot, while I got my kisses.

It may be childish, but at that moment, I couldn't be any happier.

* * *

Katniss made me sleep again after eating and this time, I don't resist because my eyes really feel heavy. I can sense that my fever is getting worse, but I make no move to tell her this as I don't want her to worry.

I'm not sure how long I slept, but as I gazed at the opening of our cave, I can see that it's morning already. I felt embarrassed; Katniss probably stayed up the whole night because I didn't wake up. I have to be more cautious when I sleep.

_Where is she? _I wondered, and suddenly fear sliced through me. _What if Cato and Clove found us and took her away? They like to roam at night…_

I start panicking and felt my muscles tense. I tried to get up but I found it difficult to do without her arms to support me. I'm still too weak from the wound and my fever, though I'm sweating a bit now. The fever must have broken down by a few degrees.

Before I could shout for her, Katniss entered the cave holding vines and fruits. My body relaxed immediately.

"I woke up and you were gone. I was worried about you."

She laughed and made me go back down. "You were worried about me? Have you taken a look at yourself lately?"

"I thought Cato and Clove might have found you. They like to hunt a night." It occurred to me that she still probably don't know this information.

"Clove? Which one is that?"

"The girl from District Two. She's still alive, right?"

"Yes, there's just them and us and Thresh and Foxface." _Foxface? _Then, seeing my confusion, "That's what I nicknamed the girl from Five. How do you feel?"

"Better than yesterday. This is an enormous improvement over the mud." I tell her. It's true. "Clean clothes and medicine and a sleeping bag… and you." I know that she may not be too comfortable in expressing sentiments, but after my past mistake of not having the courage to tell her how I feel, I have decided to tell her everything spot-on.

I was afraid that she'd distance herself from me after my cheesy remark, but she touched my cheek instead and looked at me seriously. _What are you thinking? _I wanted to ask. Instead, I caught her hand and brought it to my lips, marveling at her beauty. She is one of a kind.

"No more kisses for you until you've eaten," She warns.

I laughed. She got me there, and I don't waste time arguing with her. She makes me eat a berry mush, and I take it gratefully, though I can tell that cooking is not really her expertise.

"Take some of this groosling, you need some meat."

"No, thank you. You can have that for yourself, I don't think my stomach is up for it." I say.

Surprisingly, Katniss didn't argue, and I let out a sigh of relief.

"You didn't sleep." I tell her.

"I'm all right." She answers. However, I can see the deep eyebags forming under her eyes, and she looks really exhausted.

"Sleep now. I'll keep watch. I'll wake you if anything happens."

She doesn't say anything and just kept staring at me. I know what she's thinking, but I'm really starting to worry about her health now. No one can function well without sleep. _When was the last time she rested anyway?_

"Katniss, you can't stay up forever."

This argument seemed to work on her. "All right." She says hesitantly. "But just for a few hours. Then you wake me."

I nod at her in agreement, knowing that this is the only way to make her sleep now. She stays on top of the sleeping bag, keeping one hand on her bow. I lean back against the wall and stare outside, glad to finally be of help to her.

"Go to sleep," I whisper, stroking the loose strands of hair on her forehead and feeling her body relax underneath my touch. I like doing this; it makes me feel at ease to feel her beside me. Soon enough, her breathing became steady and her face relaxed as she drifted off.

I smile. This is the first time that I've ever seen her sleep, and it's a refreshing scenario for me. Katnss's features relaxed while in slumber, and her usually tense and strong demeanor is replaced by a vulnerability that I never expected. I can stay watch her sleep for a long time; her calmness extends to me and I bask in it. I kiss her forehead and continue stroking her hair, focusing now on the world outside to guard her against the enemies.

* * *

I know that Katniss would snap at me for not waking her up soon enough, but I know that her body needs the long rest. She had been up and taking care of me for such a long time so she must be exhausted. I can feel her stir under my touch.

"Peeta, you were supposed to wake me after a couple of hours." She says, focusing her gray eyes on me.

"For what? Nothing's going on here. Besides, I like watching you sleep. You don't scowl. Improves your looks a lot." I answer jokingly. She scowls in response, and I grin widely. She just proved my point beautifully.

Katniss stares at me for a while before placing her hands on my cheek. She's trying to check my temperature in a subtle manner, but I am well aware of what she's doing.

"Did you drink anything while I was sleeping?" She asks me, getting up and checking the water containers.

"I did." I tell her. It's true, but I don't really feel so thirsty.

She frowns in response. "It doesn't seem like you were drinking. The containers are still full." Katniss rummages through the first aid kit and hands me some pills. "Drink these."

I take the pills from her and she makes me drink at least two quarts of water. She settles beside me again to inspect my burns, wounds, and stings. Satisfied that those seem to be improving, she begins to unwrap the bandage in my leg.

I myself have not seen it yet, but I'm almost certain that the cut is worse because the pains I feel are stronger and more concentrated. Katniss's face turns green again, and she stares at it with a sick and worried expression on her face. I take a peek at it, curious at what she saw.

The wound is cleaner than it was yesterday. At least, there's no more pus coming out of it. However, my leg became even more swollen and inflamed. There are also red streaks coming up on my leg. Blood poisoning.

I stare at it without saying a word, immediately becoming aware of its implications. _I'm going to die, and I can't keep my promise to her. _My only hope left is if I receive a medicine from the sponsors, but I know that there's a slim chance on that because it's price will be very, very high. Sadly, the stakes seem to be against me.

"Well, there's more swelling, but the pus is gone." Katniss says. Her voice is breaking.

"I know what blood poisoning is, Katniss. Even if my mother isn't a healer."

"You're just going to have to outlast the others, Peeta. They'll cure it back at the Capitol when we win."

"Yes, that's a good plan." I reply, even though I know that the chances of that happening is very low. The game will be tougher now, especially because District 2 (Cato and Clove) are both still alive. And not as wounded as I am.

"You have to eat. Keep your strength up. I'm going to make you soup." She declares.

"Don't light a fire. It's not worth it."

"We'll see." She answers vaguely, grabbing the pot and heading out of our cave.

I hate it when she goes out of our little sanctuary and I can't go with her. No matter how good a hunter she is, there's always the possibility that the other tributes will find her, or worse, hurt and kill her. I try to follow her, but I still can't stand up. Instead, my leg started to throb painfully at the exertion, and I collapsed back on the sleeping bag, wincing as I tried to endure it silently. I remain in that position as I waited for the ache to subside, my eyes locked on the cave's entrance. A few moments later, Katniss comes in. Relief at the fact that she's unharmed overpowered the pain in my leg.

"Do you want anything?" She asks me.

"No, thank you." She couldn't have done anything more for me. Then I realized that she may go out again, and I don't want that. I want her to stay here with me and hear her voice, because that makes the pain go away. It's my personal medicine. "Wait, yes. Tell me a story." I say.

"A story? What about?" I can tell that she doesn't like my demand. The last time she told me a story was at the rooftop, when I forced her to tell me about the Avox girl.

"Something happy. Tell me about the happiest day you can remember." I was genuinely curious about it, but I regretted asking for that almost instantly when I remembered that her happiest memory could be about Gale since they spend so much time together. Probably more than with her family.

I hear her sigh in reply, and I can see that she's struggling with my request. I was almost about to tell her to forget about it when she finally speaks up.

"Did I ever tell you how I got Prim's goat?"

I shake my head and stare at her face, preparing myself to get lost in her voice. I was too happy that her happiest memory is not about Gale.

"My mother had an old silver locket that she never really used anymore, so I figure that it would be okay to sell it." She begins. "I really wanted to get something special for Prim's birthday, but it's just impossible since I don't have a job yet.

"Anyway, I was able to sell the locket for a good amount of money, and on the afternoon of Prim's birthday, I decide to go to the market on the square so that I can buy dress materials. I wanted to make something really special for Prim, and a dress is something that she will love. So I asked Gale if he can accompany me, and as I was running my fingers over a length of thick blue cotton cloth, something caught my eye."

I stiffen slightly when she mentioned Gale's name, but I try not to let that get to me. It's to be expected that she will ask him to accompany her, especially since it's a surprise for Prim.

"There's an old man who keeps a small herd of goats on the other side of the Seam. I don't know his real name, but everyone calls him the Goat Man. His joints are swollen and twisted in painful angles, and he's got a hacking cough that proves he spent years in the mines. But he's lucky. Somewhere along the way, he saved up enough for these goats and now has something to do in his old age besides slowly starve to death. He's filthy and impatient, but the goats are clean and their milk is rich if you can afford it."

This is the most that Katniss has ever spoken. I listen carefully at her story and begin to imagine the scenario as she described it in detail.

"There was one white goat with black patches who was lying down in a cart. Something, probably a dog, mauled her shoulder and infection had set in. The Goat Man had to hold her up to milk her, but I knew someone who could fix it. I told Gale that I want to buy that goat for Prim. Gale seemed to hesitate, telling me that the goat is hurt pretty bad and that we should take a closer look first. So we did. We bought a cup of milk to share and stood over the goat.

Goat Man didn't like this and told us to just 'let her be'. Gale came to our rescue, saying that we're just looking. Still, Goat Man insisted that we stay away, telling us that she's going to the butcher soon and that hardly anyone will buy her milk anymore. At that point, I can't resist asking what the butcher is giving in exchange for the goat. He didn't answer my question, telling us to just wait, and that's when I saw Rooba the butcher come toward us.

'Girl's got her eye on the goat.' The Goat Man tells Rooba. I contradicted this, and Rooba frowned at the goat, saying that the goat is not spoken for and pointing out the goat's bad shoulder. Of course, Goat Man complains and reminds her of their deal.

'We had a deal on an animal with a few teeth marks. Not that thing. Sell her to the girl if she's stupid enough to take her.' Rooba says, turning away from Goat Man and winking at me before heading away. I saw it as my chance; Rooba gave her up so I can buy her, and I wasn't about to let it go. We tried to settle on a price for the goat, and I did my best to get the best deal. After all, the money that I can spend is limited. People started to crowd around us, giving us an opinion: if that goat live, then I get a excellent deal, but if it died, then I'd been robbed. I took the goat anyway, knowing that Prim can fix her.

Gale offered to carry her. I think she wanted to see the look on Prim's face as much as I did. I bought a pink ribbon and tied it around her neck, then we hurried back to my house. You should have seen Prim's reaction when we walked in with the goat: she started crying and laughing all at once. My mother was less sure, seeing the injury, but they worked on it together, grinding up herbs and coaxing brews down her throat."

"They sound like you." I say, interrupting her. I couldn't resist not saying it as I remembered the way she treated my by the stream. She was so absorbed in her story that she almost look surprised when I spoke up.

"Oh no, Peeta. They work magic. That thing couldn't have died if it tried." Then she seemed to look embarrassed, realizing that I'm also dying.

"Don't worry, I'm not trying." I tell her. "Finish the story."

"Well, that's it. Only I remember that night, Prim insisted on sleeping with Lady on a blanket next to the fire. And just before they drifted off, the goat licked her cheek, like it was giving her a good night kiss or something. It was already mad about her."

"Was it still wearing the ribbon?" I ask. I can almost imagine that day, she had told me the story in great detail.

"I think so. Why?"

"I'm just trying to get a picture. I can see why that day made you happy." There's no doubt that Katniss loves her sister more than her own life. Her happiness seemed to revolve around Prim a lot as well.

"Well, I knew that goat would be a little gold mine."

"Yes, of course I was referring to that, not the lasting joy you gave the sister you love so much you took her place in the reaping."

"The goat has paid for itself. Several times over." Her tone rose a bit, going on the defensive.

"Well, it wouldn't dare do anything else after you saved its life. I intend to do the same thing." She must know that by now. If I survive this, I am forever indebted to her.

"Really? What did you cost me again?"

"A lot of trouble." I answer certainly. "Don't worry. You'll get it all back."

"You're not making sense." She says, touching my forehead. I can see the small frown on her lips as she did so. "You're a little cooler though."

I was about to reveal her bluff when the sound of trumpets interrupted us. I wonder what it could be this time. Katniss rushed to the entrance of our cave, staring outside.

"Good day on the remaining tributes of the 74th Hunger Games!" Claudius Templesmith begins. "We would like to invite everyone to a feast happening tomorrow. Now hold on. Some of you may already be declining my invitation. But this is no ordinary feast. Each of you need something desperately. Each of you will find that something in a backpack, marked with your district number, at the Cornucopia at dawn. Think hard about refusing to show up. For some of you, this will be your last chance."

Even without seeing her face, I can tell what she is thinking. Katniss continued to stare outside, seeming to be lost in thought. We both know what Claudies Templesmith is talking about. I may not be needing sponsors for the medicine: the Capitol has decided to provide for it, along with the needs of other tributes.

I will not let her do this.

I struggled to get on my feet and came behind her. The pain began to overwhelm me again. "No. You're not risking your life for me." I tell her firmly, gripping her shoulder.

"Who said I was?"

"So, you're not going?"

"Of course, I'm not going. Give me some credit. Do you think I'm running straight into some free-for-all against Cato and Clove and Thresh? Don't be stupid." She says defensively, helping me to lie back down again. "I'll let them fight it out, we'll see who's in the sky tomorrow night and work out a plan from there."

"You're such a bad liar, Katniss. I don't know how you survived this long." I know that she'll argue with me, so I begin listing all her lies to me. "'I knew that goat would be a little gold mine.' 'You're a little cooler though.' 'Of course, I'm not going.'" I shake my head sadly. I know that Katniss just wants to save me, but shouldn't it be the other way around? I should be protecting her, not forcing her to be at risk. "Never gamble at cards. You'll lose your last coin."

Her face turned red at my words, suddenly realizing that I know all her bluffs. "All right, I am going, and you can't stop me!"

She's angry now, but I am determined to stop her. I will not let her go: I'd rather die than have her killed. "I can follow you. At least partway I may not make it to the Cornucopia, but if I'm yelling your name, I bet someone can find me. And then I'll be dead for sure." I went straight to the heart of my defense, knowing that she will not be able to counter it.

"You won't get a hundred yards from here on that leg."

"Then I'll drag myself. You go, and I'm going too." I'll match her stubbornness with my own.

"What am I supposed to do? Sit here and watch you die?"

_Does she really want me to stay alive? _"I won't die, I promise. If you promise not to go." I tell her softly.

Katniss remained silent for a minute, trying to think of a way out of it. But we both know there's none. I win this argument. "Then you have to do what I say. Drink your water, wake me when I tell you, and eat every bite of soup no matter how disgusting it is!"

"Agreed." I say easily. Those demands should be easy to give. I can live with that. "Is it ready?"

"Wait here." She answers before heading out. A few minutes later, Katniss goes back to the cave with the pot in her hands. She settles down next to me again and makes me eat.

I do this without complaint because I want her to see that I'm sticking to our side of the deal, and she has to do the same thing. She has to know that there's no way I'm going to let her go to that feast, and I'll exhaust all my strength just to keep her here.

"Katniss, this is delicious." I say, complimenting her attempt at cooking. She looks at me doubtfully, as if I was telling her a huge joke. I know cooking may not be her forte, but the soup doesn't really taste bad. I ate the pot wholeheartedly, eating to the very last drop. When I'm done, Katniss makes me drink another fever medicine again, then heads out to wash the pot.

I settle back in the sleeping bed, satisfied that my argument seemed to work on her. I've rested well enough to be able to do my threat, and I won't be sleeping tonight to make sure that she won't sneak out.

"I've brought you a treat." I hear her say moments later, breaking my thoughts. "I found a new patch of berries a little farther downstream."

_More food? _I wondered, but I still didn't complain. She helps me sit up again, and I open my mouth willingly.

"They're very sweet." I observe. Something seems off about the taste, almost like it's not a real fruit. I frown slightly, unable to shake the thought that this is not an ordinary berry. I may not be an expert in plants or in edible food, but I'm observant enough to know when something's unusual.

"Yes, they're sugar berries." Katniss explains. "My mother makes jam from them. Haven't you ever had them before?"

She brings another spoonful into my mouth, and I take it again, not giving her a reason to say that I broke our deal. _Sugar berries_? _Is there such a thing? _"No." I say, answering her question. "But they taste familiar. Sugar berries?" I ask again, trying to decide where I've tasted this before.

"Well you can't get them in the market much, they only grow wild." There goes another mouthful. Katniss seems to be in a hurry...

"They're sweet as syrup." I say, eating the last spoonful. And all of a sudden, everything clicked.

"Syrup." I repeat, my eyes widening as I realized what she did. That's why the "sugar berries" taste familiar. My father used to make me drink this whenever I am in too much pain from my mother's beatings.

_Katniss tricked me! _

But how did she get that medicine? Haymitch must have sent it to her, but why would he? Why will he let Katniss risk her life for me?

Anger welled inside me, and I tried to vomit everything I ate immediately. This could only mean one thing: she will be going to the feast, and I can't stop her, because I'll be asleep. Katniss sees what I'm trying to do, and she clamped her hand over my mouth and nose so that there's no way for me to vomit it. I can feel the sleep syrup work it's way through me, weakening my muscles, sending me to unconsciousness.

All too soon, blackness overcame me.

* * *

_Author's__ note_

_I just have to say thank you again to everyone who left comments! It's great to hear that I've been doing a good job in writing Peeta's take on the Games. __( . , Melthorne, RazzaSixty9, The one who writes the ones, svp24151198, Feewildfire, and guest reviewers!) _

_To answer your questions: yes, I plan to write Peeta's perspective in Catching Fire as well - it's my favorite in the series! After that, I think I also want to write my own version of the 2nd book. I'm still thinking about Mockingjay... do you think I should write that in Peeta's perspective as well? With the whole story as is, I mean. I can write a Peeta version on that one too, but I'd also make my own version sometime. Plus a whole fanfic on the epilogue! _

_Next update will be up soon! Thank you so much for reading! _


	19. Feast

**CHAPTER 19**

**FEAST | _DAYS 13 TO 14, ARENA_**

* * *

I slowly drifted back to consciousness, and when I did, the first thing I became aware of is the absence of pain. I have been so used to feeling it that its absence makes my eyes snap open in wonder. Dazed, I feel like I've slept for a very long time. Right beside my head lies the container of water and the medical kit. I have also been stripped of my jacket, but the sleeping bag offers so much protection from the cold night. Katniss lies beside me, but something seems off about her position, like she just collapsed right there. I blink my eyes as it slowly adjusts to the darkness, and that's when I see the liquid that formed around Katniss's head.

Blood.

Alarmed, I was up on my feet in an instant, cradling Katniss's face as I saw where the blood came from. "Katniss!" I whispered, tears springing to my eyes. A long, deep cut above her right eyebrow is bleeding profusely, but even with my rough movements, she didn't respond. Instinctively, I checked her pulse, and I felt slightly better when I felt her weak heartbeat. _Weak but still alive, _I tell myself.

All of it came back to me at once - eating the "sugar berries" which turned out to be sleep syrup, and Katniss covering my mouth and nose as I became unconscious. She went to the feast at dawn. Judging from the color of the sky - my subconscious noted that she has covered the entrance of our cave with rocks - it's nighttime already. She was unconscious and bleeding the whole day. I gulped back tears and focused on taking care of her.

I know exactly what to do since I've been taking care of myself every time I get bruises from my mother's beating. I gently wipe the blood off from her face so that I can inspect the cut better. I know that we don't have medicines that work for cuts - Katniss tried to use the burn ointment for it, but it honestly doesn't have an effect - so I just wrapped her head in a clean bandage. I noticed that she also has a cut in her lip, but that one is not bleeding anymore.

_Who could have done this to her__?_ I am angered by the thought that someone tried to kill her, and I was almost certain that it's Cato and Clove. But if that were the case, how did she manage to escape? I thanked my rarely lucky stars and made a mental note to ask her later when she's conscious.

When I'm done cleaning her cuts, I carried her back to the sleeping bag. I am glad to discover that I have regained some of strength so I was able to carry her easily. Her skin is freezing, so I removed her boots and socks because those are very wet, and it will only give her more chills if I left it on. I realized that she took my jacket with her, and I removed it and used it to keep her feet warm. She won't need the extra cover for her body - the sleeping bag will keep her warm enough.

Once she's settled comfortably on the bag, I sit beside her and studied her features. She seemed peaceful in her sleep despite her wounds, so I allow myself to relax a bit. Satisfied that Katniss will get better, I decided to inspect myself first, suddenly curious of my improved health.

My leg is still swollen, but the red stains are no longer there, indicating that I am already cured from blood poisoning. I became aware of a light throbbing in my arm, and that's when I see the small puncture where Katniss possibly jammed the needle. The little orange bag along with the box and needle still lay there on the ground, so I stood up and kept it with the medicine kit before sitting next to her again.

The anthem of Panem interrupted my thoughts. I stood up and slipped outside through the small crack in the rocks, waiting for the face(s) of those who died at the feast. There's only one, though. Clove.

I became even more curious of what happened in the arena. Did Katniss kill Clove? Is that how she was able to escape? Surely, Cato will be distracted enough from the fight at Clove's death, buying Katniss enough time to run away. But that could only mean one thing. Cato is out there, hunting us. Only, now he has a bigger reason to kill her - vengeance.

Katniss risked her life for me. She really did everything to keep me safe - from the cover in the entrance of our cave to the water and medicine kit right beside me when I woke up. She saw to it that I will be fine in case I wake up without her. The others had come so close - so very close - to killing her, and my heart ached painfully at the fact that I could have woken up and seen her face in the sky tonight. I shook the unwanted thought away. Katniss is safe here with me again, and now I'm possibly strong enough to protect her.

* * *

For the next few hours, I alternated between checking her temperature and massaging her arms and feet. She occasionally shivers from the cold, so I focused on keeping her warm and comfortable. I was getting a little cold myself, but it's easy to ignore because at this moment, nothing is more important to me than Katniss.

The coolness of the night worsened when I heard thunder crack in the sky and the heavy rain poured. The roof of our cave has small cracks, allowing some rainwater to seep inside our shelter and dripping straight into Katniss's body. I stood up and rummaged through her pack for anything that we can use for the cracks. I was almost prepared to go out of the cave to get some huge leaves when I came across the small plastic. _This should do. _

Carefully, I made a canopy over her head and upper body by wedging the plastic in the rocks above her. It worked effectively, and I hear her sigh in her sleep. I thought she had woken up, but her eyes are still tightly closed. The only difference now is that a small smile formed on her lips. _What could she be dreaming of__? _

By this time, I became aware of a slight rumbling in my stomach. It had been a while since I ate, so I took the groosling that Katniss had been trying to make me eat for days. I eagerly munched on three pieces of that groosling, eating like a savaged man, before I realized that I ate too much. Now we only have four pieces left of it, and I felt ashamed at myself for being too selfish and greedy. My hunger is barely satisfied, but I'm used to it anyway, so I behaved myself and sealed the food in the container.

* * *

I stayed up the whole night, becoming very alert of the sounds around me. It's almost impossible to hear anything else apart from the enormous rain, so I kept my eyes locked on the cave's entrance for any intruder. There is none.

Katniss barely stirred during the night, and she remained unconscious until now. I would have started to worry, but I calmed myself when I felt her steady pulse again. I kept my hands locked to her face and started stroking her cheek, patiently waiting for her to wake up.

Afternoon came and the rain still continued to pour endlessly. Katniss moved a bit under my touch, and I know that she's awake now.

"Katniss? Katniss, can you hear me?" I ask her.

She opened her eyes and she stared around her for a while before speaking. "Peeta."

Relief flooded me. "Hey," I whispered, still stroking her cheek. "Good to see your eyes again."

"How long have I been out?"

"Not sure." I answer truthfully. "I woke up yesterday evening and you were lying next to me in a very scary pool of blood. I think it's stopped finally, but I wouldn't sit up or anything."

Katniss raised her hand to her head, touching her bandage. Her color became pale, showing how weak she is feeling at the moment. I took the water container beside me and held it to her lips while she drank thirstily.

"You're better." She says.

"Much better. Whatever you shot into my arm did the trick. By this morning, almost all the swelling in my leg is gone." I want to tell her that she shouldn't do that again, but I can't bring myself to confront her now. I can't even be angry with her for tricking me.

"Did you eat?"

Now I'm really ashamed. "I'm sorry to say I gobbled down three pieces of that groosling before I realized it might have to last a while. Don't worry, I'm back on a strict diet."

"No, it's good." She assures me. "You need to eat. I'll go hunting soon."

It's not a good idea in her condition, but I know arguing will get me nowhere. "Not too soon, all right? You just let me take care of you for a while."

I remember that she might be hungry after not eating for a whole day, so I made her eat the groosling and raisins we have left. I carefully brought the food to her mouth, and made sure that she drank lots of water. She needs to be hydrated after losing so much blood.

"Your boots and socks are still damp and the weather's not helping much." I tell her. "I wonder what brought on this storm? I mean, who's the target?"

"Cato and Thresh." Katniss answers without thinking. "Foxface will be in her den somehere, and Clove... she cut me and then..."

Anger built inside me again as I remembered how she lay here yesterday, bleeding to death. "I know Clove's dead. I saw it in the sky last night." Then, after a short pause, I decided to ask her. "Did you kill her?"

"No. Thresh broke her skull with a rock."

It's not making sense, and I can't figure out what happened out there anymore. I tried to imagine the scenario, shivering lightly as I thought of Thresh and Clove. But I'm just too happy that she's alive and that Thresh didn't get her. "Lucky he didn't catch you, too,"

"He did. But he let me go." She says in a small voice. I look at her, surprised.

"What?"

"Well... I don't know if you've been awake that time, but... a few days ago, I blew off the Careers' supplies at the Cornucopia."

"It was you? I heard the explosion. How did you do that? And how did you know about the mines?"

"I made an alliance with Rue. She was there on the other tree where you trapped me. Rue warned me about the tracker jackers' nest." She started.

So I was right about one thing. Katniss was Rue's ally.

"She can swing from tree to tree without even making a sound..." She continues, her voice trailing off. I can see that it's not an easy thing for her to talk about, so I kept quiet and listened intently. "And she was there when I woke up after the hallucinations. Then it just happened, we became allies.

Rue and I made a plan to blow up the Careers' supply pile because we figured out that without it, the Careers will have a hard time surviving at the Games. So I left Rue to set up a trap for the Careers while I headed to the Cornucopia. When I got there, I tried to study the pile, wondering why the Careers aren't too worried about leaving it alone, and why they kept the boy from District 3 alive.

To cut a long story short, I learned about the mines, then I blew it off through the sack of apples at the top of the pile. I cut the sack open and when the apples bounced, the mines set off. My left ear became deaf from the explosion, and I stayed in my hiding place for a while because I'm too weak to move. I witnessed Cato's tantrum when he saw it, and he killed the boy from District 3 almost immediately.

The following day, I went back to join Rue at our meeting place. But she wasn't there. I waited for her, and when late afternoon came, I finally decided to look for her. That's when I heard her scream..."

She trailed off again, and I can see that she's trying to hold back tears.

"I saw her trapped in a net, then I freed her. But then... I didn't see or hear the boy from District 1. I was stupid... I should have heard him. He threw a spear at her, and... it's too late to save her. I killed him with my bow. Rue died, and I couldn't save her... I received a parachute after that. It's bread from District 11.

Clove was boasting about it when she had me trapped at the feast. She was telling me about how they killed Rue, and I guess Thresh heard her and he picked her up angrily, asking about Rue. He snapped her head and turned to me. He asked about my alliance with Rue, and he asked me if I killed the boy who killed her. I said I did... and I asked him to make my death fast. But he let me go because he didn't want to owe me, saying that we're even now and that he's doing it for Rue."

I absorbed her story for a while, listening to every bit of it. Finally, I spoke up. "He let you go because he didn't want to owe you anything?"

"Yes." Katniss replies. "I don't expect you to understand it. You've always had enough. But if you'd lived in the Seam, I wouldn't have to explain."

"And don't try. Obviously I'm too dim to get it." I say, afraid that it will only exhaust her.

But she continues speaking. "It's like the bread. How I never seem to get over owing you for that."

_The bread?_ I thought, surprised. I didn't even know until now that she still remembers it. I myself remember that day because of it's significance to me, and because I've had my eye on her for a long time before that.

"The bread?" I repeated. "What? From when we were kids? I think we can let that go. I mean, you just brought me back from the dead."

"But you didn't know me. We had never even spoken. Besides, it's the first gift that's always the hardest to pay back. I wouldn't even have been here to do it if you hadn't helped me then." She argues. "Why did you, anyway?"

_Because I love you,_ I thought. Doesn't she see that?

"Why? You know why." _Isn't it obvious? _She shook her head in response. I sigh. "Haymitch said you would take a lot of convincing." I say, remembering that time in the Training Center when Haymitch told me that Katniss will have a hard time believing my feelings for her. Especially under the circumstances.

"Haymitch? What's he got to do with it?"

"Nothing." I answer. I didn't want to touch that topic, what with the prying audience. "So, Cato and Thresh, huh? I guess it's too much to hope that they'll simultaneously destroy each other?"

"I think we would like Thresh. I think he'd e our friend back in District 12." She says with certainty in her voice.

_I think we would._ "Then let's hope Cato kills him, so we don't have to." I answer, but mostly for the benefit of the audience. The last thing I want to happen right now is for another person to die. And Thresh... I sort of owe him too. For making Katniss live, and for saving her from Clove. But of course, that won't work on the audience, so I kept my mouth shut. I look at her and realize that she has tears in her eyes.

"What is it? Are you in a lot of pain?" I ask, knowing that it's not really the pain in her injuries but the pain of thinking about Cato and Thresh.

"I want to go home, Peeta," Katniss says, looking like a child again.

"You will, I promise." I tell her, bending forward to kiss her lightly. I will do anything to get her home.

"I want to go home now," She continues.

"Tell you what. You go back to sleep and dream of home. And then you'll be there for real before you know it. Okay?"

"Okay." She whispers. "Wake me if you need me to keep watch."

"I'm good and rested, thanks to you and Haymitch. Besides, who knows how long this will last?" The Game is almost over, and the thunderstorm is only a brief interruption made by the Gamemakers. Sooner or later, the skies will be clear enough, and another tribute will die.

Katniss drifts off to sleep, and I stared at her face again, stroking it. I like taking care of her. It gives me a sense of contentment. Then I thought, _if we both make it back, I can do this. I can take care of Katniss. _The idea is enough to make me smile.

* * *

I had been trying so hard to restrain myself from eating, but when evening came, it seems like I can't bear it anymore. The rain is even worse now so I repositioned the plastic to prevent the rain from soaking her. I also placed the pot of broth in the area where rain is dripping badly. Katniss is still asleep, so I finally decided to wake her up so we can eat together.

"Katniss," I say, shaking her gently. "Wake up."

She opens her eyes slowly in response and looks at me questioningly. I smile warmly at her. "You need to eat dinner."

Katniss sits up, and it's clear that she's a bit better now. Still, I assisted her by holding her back and head and helping her to find a comfortable spot. I placed the remaining two pieces of groosling in front of her, as well as the roots and dried fruits.

"Should we try and ration it?" I ask her.

"No, let's just finish it. The groosling's getting old anyway, and the last thing we need is to get sick of spoilt food."

Katniss equally divided the food into two, and we try to eat slowly. Somehow, though, it's just not enough, and stomachs are not satisfied even after we ate.

"Tomorrow's a hunting day." Katniss declares, clearly feeling the same way I am. We're starving.

"I won't be much help with that," I admit. "I've never hunted before."

"I'll kill and you cook. And you can always gather."

"I wish there was some sort of bred bush out there," I say longingly. That way, I could be more helpful to her.

"The bread they sent me from District 1 was still warm." She adds, sighing. "Here, chew this." Katniss hands me some mint leaves, and I eat it willingly. Anything to keep our mouths chewing.

The daily report came up, and as expected, there are no deaths today. We sit back on our cave as soon as the sky went black again, sitting silently for a few minutes.

"Where did Thresh go? I mean, what's on the fr side of the circle?" Katniss asks.

"A field. As far as you can see it's full of grasses as high as my shoulders. I don't know, maybe some of them are grain. There are patches of different colors. But there are no paths." I clearly remember the time I stood there, and the Careers' hesitation to go in. No, they didn't hesitate - they did not want to go in there.

"I bet some of them are grain. I bet Thresh knows which ones too. Did you go in there?"

"No. Nobody really wanted to track Thresh down in that grass. It has a sinister feeling to it. Every time I look at that field, all I can think of are hidden things. Snakes, and rabid animals, and quicksand. There could be anything in there." Somehow, I know as I said those words that it will not bother her because those things are almost identical to the things they say about the woods in our district. And Katniss goes there everyday. With Gale.

"Maybe there was a bread bush in that field. Maybe that's why Thresh looks better fed now than when we started the Games."

"Either that, or he's got very generous sponsors." I say. Even though he was hostile in his interview, his strength is unmistakable. Sponsors will surely line up for him, unlike me. "I wonder what we'd have to do to get Haymitch to send us some bread."

In answer, Katniss takes my hand. "Well, he probably used up a lot of resources helping me knock you out."

"Yeah, about that." I begin, intertwining our fingers. "Don't try something like that again."

"Or what?" She asks playfully.

"Or... or..." I couldn't really think of any threat. "Just give me a minute."

"What's the problem?" Katniss says, grinning widely.

"The problem is we're both still alive. Which only reinforces the idea in your mind that you did the right thing." She has to understand that she can't repeat that trick on me again.

"I did do the right thing."

"No! Just don't, Katniss!" I exclaim, tightening my grip on her fingers as anger pulsed through me. Images of her bloody head came back to me, and I know I can't live with it if anything bad happens to her. "Don't die for me. You won't be doing me any favors. All right?" _  
_

"Maybe I did it for myself, Peeta, did you ever think that? Maybe you aren't the only one who... who worries about... what it would be like if..." She stammered.

There goes my heart again. It seemed like the simplest words from her could make my breathing speed up.

"If what, Katniss?" I ask, prodding her to continue. I need to know what's on her mind, but somehow, I felt that I won't get it.

"That's exactly the kind of topic Haymitch told me to steer clear of." She says, effectively avoiding the topic.

"Then I'll just have to fill in the blanks myself." I whisper as I move closer to her.

Our lips touched, but this time, it felt different for me. I had been burning with fever during those first times, but now, I am well aware of everything, and there's no pain to feel. It started slowly, but eventually became more forceful. Our lips tangled together in desperation, then I felt her tongue sweep lightly on my lips. I allow myself to go deeper into the kiss, holding her neck, memorizing the way her lips fit perfectly against mine.

We break away after a long while and I can see the hunger I feel mirrored in her eyes. It gives me a giddy feeling, and as much as I want to kiss her again. her head wound started bleeding again. So I just kiss her lightly at the tip of her nose before fixing the sleeping bag for her.

"I think your head wound is bleeding again. Come on, lie down, it's bedtime anyway."

I check her socks and boots, noting that it's dry enough for her to wear again. She'd be more comfortable in it than my jacket, which offer little protection.

"Katniss, these are dry enough now." I say, moving towards her and putting the socks back on her feet. She laughs at my gesture, gently smacking my shoulders.

"I can do that on my own, Peeta."

I laugh with her. "I know, but I really want to take care of you."

"Well..." She says, taking the jacket I removed from her feet. "If you're not too grossed out at wearing your jacket that you used to keep my feet warm, I really insist that you wear your jacket again. I don't want you to get cold. The nights are so chilly now."

I laughed louder this time. "Of coursed I'm not 'grossed out' by that." I tell her, taking the jacket from her and wearing it "And I'm wearing it now to prove my point."

She smiles gently at me. "Also, I really should take the first watch so you can sleep."

"No. You sleep, and I'll watch. I can still manage." I insist.

"I'm not bargaining with you, Peeta. I'm staying up. I don't feel sleepy at all, thanks to you. I slept a lot today... and yesterday."

"I did the same when I was sick, Katniss." I remind her.

"Yes, but come on, Peeta. Just sleep, okay?"

"Fine. On one condition."

"I'm not open for conditions."

I sigh. She really is stubborn. "Just one, Katniss. Please? And it's really simple. Just stay here in the bag with me. As you said, the nights are really chilly now, and I don't want you freezing out there while I sleep comfortably here. I'm not taking no for an answer."

In my brief time with her, I've learned that the best way to make her listen is to match her stubbornness. I can see reason cross her eyes now, so I know that she'll agree.

Katniss doesn't answer, but instead crawls to the sleeping bag with me. As we settle in, I extend my arm to her side and guide her head to it. My other arm rests protectively on her, wrapping it around her waist. I sigh contentedly, glad to have her by my side. I held her like this to keep her safe in my arms, but at the same time, a sense of security also spread through me. This is more than I've ever dreamed of.

I kiss the top of her head gently as she wore the night-vision glasses, drifting off shortly after.

* * *

A short while later, I can feel someone shaking my shoulders lightly. I open my eyes and see Katniss hovering over me.

"Peeta, wake up. I'm sorry. I can't keep my eyes open anymore." She says, kissing my cheek. I smile at her, becoming alert in an instant as I took the glasses from her.

"It's okay, Katniss. Go to sleep, I'll keep watch."

"Tomorrow, when it's dry, I'll find us a place so high in the trees we can both sleep in peace."

I laugh silently at her. _She must be joking, right?_ I think she knows me well enough to know that I will never be comfortable - much less have the capacity - to stay up high in the trees.

I keep a protective arm around her as she slept, keeping my eyes open for enemies.


	20. Nightlock

**CHAPTER 20**

**NIGHTLOCK | _DAYS 15 TO 16, ARENA_**

* * *

I fell asleep a few times during my watch, and I mentally scolded myself for it. It's difficult to stay up with the fatigue, the steady thrumming of the rain outside, and having no one to talk to to keep me up. However, I couldn't bring myself to wake Katniss because I want her to get all the rest she can get.

By morning, the rain still hadn't stopped pouring. I contented myself with watching Katniss in her sleep - she looked so peaceful, cradled in my arms. When she finally woke up, her gray eyes stared lazily into mine before she broke into a wide grin.

"Good morning, Miss Everdeen." I whispered, kissing her forehead.

"Good morning, Mr. Mellark." She answered, sighing.

"Is anything wrong?" I ask her. I keep my arms wrapped around her because it felt so good to me to have her there. Katniss made no move to stay away from my embrace.

"The rain. It still hasn't stopped."

"Yeah..." I answer. It's not a good day out, but I still want to head out because we have no more food. And I don't want her to starve. _I can probably get some vines out there, right?_ "Katniss, I'm thinking of heading out later to get us some food. You'll be okay alone here, right?" As much as I don't want to leave her alone again, I can't bear the thought of dragging her outside in that kind of rain. She can get fever.

Katniss rises on her elbow, staring at me. "Are you crazy? Peeta, the storm is so heavy."

"I know, but I can't just sit here and watch you starve. I want to take care of you, okay?"

Her expression softened. "Peeta," She whispered. "I won't let you out. It's dangerous. And, it's pointless, okay? The animals will also be hiding from the rain, and you won't get any vines either because you'll barely see outside. You'll just get soaked and cold. Stay here with me."

I sigh, knowing that I can't argue with her. She's the experienced hunter, after all.

"Okay... so what do we do now?" I ask.

The grin returns to her face and she settled back on my chest. My arms wrapped around her automatically. "Nothing. We stay here, wrapped in each others arms."

"Sounds like a plan." I answer back, burrowing my face in her hair. I love this girl to bits.

Both of us drifted in and out of sleep all throughout the day - partly because there's nothing else we can do, and partly because we need an escape from our hunger. I asked Katniss if we should take turns again, but she waved my offer off, saying that it's pointless and no one will attack us in this kind of weather.

We spend the entire day doing nothing, and when night came again, we are absolutely well rested than we've ever been that we can barely sleep anymore.

"Peeta," I hear Katniss say. "You said at the interview you'd had a crush on me forever. When did forever start?"

I blushed lightly at her question because this is the first time that I'll really talk about my feelings for her. And sadly, it's still in front of the whole Panem to see. I still answer her question whole-heartedly, though. I remember that day very clearly, like it happened only yesterday. "Oh let's see. I guess the first day of school. We were five. You had on a red plaid dress and your hair... it was in two braids instead of one. My father pointed you out when we were waiting to line up."

"Your father? Why?"

My father's probably going to pay hell for this, but I still stayed honest with her. And mother knows about this, anyway. "He said, 'See that little girl? I wanted to marry her mother, but she ran off with a coal miner."

"What? You're making that up!" Katniss exclaims, surprise evident in her voice.

"No, true story. And I said, 'A coal miner? Why did she want a coal miner if she could've had you? And he said, 'Because when he sings... even the birds stop to listen.'" It's true, I've witnessed that. And Katniss got that from him. "So that day, in music assembly, the teacher asked who knew the valley song. Your hand shot right up in the air. She stood you up on a stool and had you sing it for us. And I swear, every bird outside the windows fell silent."

"Oh please," Katniss says, laughing.

I knew she wouldn't believe me. "No, it happened. And right when your song ended, I knew - just like your mother - I was a goner. Then for the next eleven years, I tried to work up the nerve to talk to you."

"Without success."

"Without success." I agree with her. "So, in a way, my name being drawn in the reaping was a real piece of luck."

"You have a... remarkable memory."

"I remember everything about you." I whispered, tucking a loose strand of hair beneath her ears. And I know that she will occupy my thoughts for the rest of my existence. "You're the one who wasn't paying attention."

"I am now." Katniss replies.

"Well, I don't have much competition here." I answer back, knowing that it's true. If we win and we get back to District 12, how can I win against Gale? They have such a strong connection that I can't compete with.

She doesn't respond for a while, and I find my breathing hitch. When she finally spoke up, her voice is barely audible. "You don't have much competition anywhere." She says as her head leans in towards me.

Our lips barely touched when we hear a clunk outside. Both of us jump at the sound. Half of me was annoyed at the interruption, but half of me was scared for Katniss's safety. _Did someone find our hiding spot?_ Katniss's bow is readied in an instant, but I pushed her back so that I'll be the first to head out. I carefully peek outside, but I saw no one. The sound came from a parachute which has now tangled at the branches of a low-lying tree beside beside our cave.

A whoop of delight escaped my lips, my stomach too famished to care that the audience may think of my reaction as childish. I felt like doing a celebration dance, but I reigned myself in. I eagerly go out in the rain, hearing Katniss hiss my name inside. I ignore her because I know that she'll be joyous once she finds out what it is.

I quickly untangle the parachute attached to a basket and hurriedly head back inside our cave to show it to Katniss. Her eyes go wide at once, delight sweeping her features instantaneously. We rip it open at once and took in the food given to us - fresh rolls, goat cheese, apples, and a tureen of the lamb stew on wild rice. My mouth watered at the mere sight of the food.

"I guess Haymitch finally got tired of watching us starve." I tell her, trying to resist myself from eating everything at once.

"I guess so." Katniss answers, her eyes shining brightly. I remember her telling Caesar during her interview that the lamb stew is her favorite food that the Capitol has to offer.

Then, unable to contain ourselves any further, we prepare to indulge in the feast that was given to us. I see in Katniss's eyes that she wants to eat the everything at once, but I restrained her because we don't know how long the rain will still last (and hence how long we will not be able to go out to search for food) and because the richness of the food may upset our stomachs again, the way it did last time at the train.

"We better take it slow on that stew." I remind her. "Remember the first night on the train? The rich food made me sick and I wasn't even starving then."

"You're right." Katniss says, stopping herself. "And I could just inhale the whole thing!"

"We can eat it bit by bit." I say.

Her eyes spark at my suggestion. "Peeta, I can't this anymore. We need to eat now."

I laugh at her impatience, but I do as she says. "Look, they even included plates and utensils for us!"

Katniss chuckles. "Wouldn't want us to turn into savages."

"Okay, here's your plate..." I hand her the delicate plate and silverware then started to divide the food. Each of us take a fresh roll, half an apple, and a small serving of stew and rice.

We eat our tiny but delicious meal in silence, savoring each bite. Still, it took us just a few minutes to finish our parts and we are nowhere near satisfied. My stomach protested, but I ignore it because I know that our supply may have to last for a while.

"I want more." Katniss says sadly, staring at the remaining food we have.

"Me too." I tell her silently. Both of us are really starving. "Tell you what. We wait an hour, if it stays down, then we get another serving."

"Agreed. It's going to be a long hour."

"Maybe not that long," I reply, trying to distract myself. "What was that you were saying just before the food arrived? Something about me... no competition... best thing that ever happened to you..."

I have to admit - it was more than just a distraction. I really wanted to get back to our moment before the food arrived, filling my head with her sweet words.

"I don't remember that last part." Katniss whispers, blushing furiously.

"Oh that's right. That's what I was thinking. Scoot over, I'm freezing." I start moving closer to her, wanting to feel her warmth again. I realize that I'm getting so used to have her beside me, that being apart from her could really make me ache physically. I've turned to a needy boy.

Katniss moves to make room for me on the sleeping bag and when we're finally sitting together against the cave wall, her head finds its way into my shoulder. I wrap my arms around her protectively, wanting to stay beside her forever.

"So, since we were five, you never even noticed any other girls?" She prods.

My lips curl back into a small smile. "No, I noticed just about every girl, but none of them made a lasting impression but you."

"I'm sure that would thrill your parents, you liking a girl from the Seam."

_I hardly even thought of that. _I do know, however, that my father won't mind. My mother is a different issue entirely. I'm certain that it will send her to a fit of rage, but if I survive this, maybe she won't even complain. After all, I owe my life to her. Frankly, I don't care what her reaction will be. I'll fight for Katniss and stick by her to the ends of the earth. "Hardly." I answer truthfully. "But I couldn't care less. Anyway, if we make it back, you won't be a girl from the Seam, you'll be a girl from the Victor's Village."

Katniss is silent for a while when she suddenly gasps in my arms, turning around to face me. "But then, our only neighbor will be Haymitch!" There's real terror in her eyes, it looks strangely comical.

My arms tightened around her, wanting her to feel safe even with that idea. "Ah, that'll be nice. You and me and Haymitch. Very cozy. Picnics, birthdays, long winter nights around the fire retelling old Hunger Games' tales."

Suddenly, I see the future and it's almost too hard to let it go. I can imagine us living so close together. When we settle in our homes, we'll go back to our old routines - I can bake everyday for her, then we can check on Haymitch from time to time, and we can cuddle like this during the cold nights. Warmth spread through me, and I suddenly found a greater reason to live. _I want to experience that life with Katniss._

"I told you, he hates me!" She exclaims, but laughs anyway.

"Only sometimes. When he's sober, I've never heard him say one negative thing about you." I'm only trying to make her at ease of course, and she knows it. Haymitch is barely sober, leaving me wondering how he survived all those years alone in his house. It must be a disaster.

"He's never sober!"

"That's right." I agree cheerfully with her. Haymitch will probably lash out on us for making fun of him - if we make it out of here alive. _We will, _I thought, determined. "Who am I thinking of? Oh, I know. It's Cinna who likes you. But that's mainly because you didn't try to run when he set you on fire. On the other hand, Haymitch... well, if I were you, I'd avoid Haymitch completely. He hates you." I joke. That's certainly not true, but we're having too much fun with this light banter. Haymitch and Katniss have a lot of disagreements because they're so alike.

"I thought you said I was his favorite."

"He hates me more. I don't think people in general are his sort of thing."

We laugh together loudly, and when we finally calmed down, Katniss asks me in a small voice, "How do you think he did it?"

"Who? Did what?" I ask her, confused.

"Haymitch. How do you think he won the Games?"

I consider her question for a moment. Surviving the Games generally requires a tribute to have at least one of the following: charm (to gain sponsors), wit (to create tactics), and strength (to fight opponents). Haymitch is not exactly charming - in fact, he's probably hostile and too sarcastic during the pre-Game events. I highly doubt that he tried to please the audience; like Katniss, he strikes me as someone who will do what he wants, and when he wants it. As for strength - it may a bit biased to judge him based on his state now because his body has been too abused with alcohol - but I don't think that he had been huge or powerful in his youth because some of that would still have showed now. That leaves him wit: and from his quick retorts and superior nature, I'm guessing that that's what propelled him to win.

"He outsmarted the others." I answer with confidence.

Katniss nods and says nothing more. We kill time in a comfortable silence, cuddled up to beat the coldness of the weather. My stomach is growling, but I ignore it. If Katniss can wait patiently, then I should too.

Thirty minutes later, however, Katniss turns to me with a defeated smile on her lips. "Peeta, can we eat again now?" She asks me with hopeful eyes. "I don't think I can wait anymore."

I nod in agreement, giving in to her request and at the same time doing a favor for myself. She giddily took our plates again and began placing another small serving of the lamb stew and rice on each. I hear the anthem of Panem play despite the loud rain, and I get up to peek at the world outside through a crack in the rocks.

We really didn't hear the canon today, but we can't know that for certain. The rain might just be too loud to drown out its sound.

"There won't be anything to see tonight. Nothing's happened or we would've heard a cannon." Katniss says behind me, not even bothering to get up.

But I was right. Because right there, in the sky, is Thresh's picture.

My insides locked, and my breathing turned shallow. I felt sad for the reason that the person who spared Katniss's life has been killed already. Cato was successful in his quest. I know exactly how Katniss will feel about his death. I can't even begin to think of what this new development means for us; my mind is currently more focused on her reaction. Even if she doesn't say it, I know that the news will break her.

"Katniss," I whisper, my eyes pricking.

"What? Should we split another roll, too?" She asks, clearly avoiding the subject. She must know that something has happened, and she's only refusing to accept it.

"Katniss."

She continues to ignore me. "I'm going to split one. But I'll save the cheese for tomorrow."

I continue to stare at her, hoping that she'll get the message. "What?" She finally asks.

"Thresh is dead."

* * *

Her hands freeze on a roll, and I see her eyes go wild. "He can't be." She says in a small voice.

"They must have fired the cannon during the thunder and we missed it."

"Are you sure? I mean, it's pouring buckets out there. I don't know how you can see anything." Katniss continues, taking my place in the rocks and squinting outside. I know that Thresh's picture is still up there. I watched her carefully.

Katniss slumped down on the rocks, a dazed look on her face. Her eyes had that faraway look, and tears are beginning to form on the edges.

"You all right?" I ask, squatting beside her. It was a rhetorical question - anyone can easily see how upset she is.

She merely shrugged and cupped her elbows in her hands, hiding her face from the cameras. I let her grieve in silence, sitting there beside her just to let her know that I'm with her no matter what.

"It's just... if we didn't win... I wanted Thresh to. Because he let me go. And because of Rue."

"Yeah, I know. But this means we're one step closer to District 12." I say in an attempt to lighten the mood. I take a plate of food that she prepared and gave it to her. "Eat. It's still warm.

She takes the fork and eats her stew bit by bit, but Katniss can't mask the sadness in her eyes. "It also means Cato will be back hunting us." Katniss states, announcing the most obvious consequence.

"And he's got supplies again." I conclude. Thresh has to have one, and whatever was in his pack is also in Cato's possession now. _What could it be?_

"He'll be wounded, I bet," Katniss says matter-of-factly.

"What makes you say that?"

"Because Thresh would have never gone down without a fight. He's so strong, I mean, he was. And they were in his territory."

I considered her words and decided that if she's right (which I think she is), then it's to our advantage. "Good. The more wounded Cato is, the better. I wonder how Foxface is making out."

"Oh, she's fine." Katniss answers with a tone of regret and annoyance. "Probably be easier to catch Cato than her."

"Maybe hey'll catch each other and we can just go home. But we better be extra careful about the watches. I dozed off a few times." I admit guiltily.

"Me too. But not tonight."

I don't respond anymore as my thoughts flickered to the imminent danger we are now facing. Cato prefers to track at night, so I know that I need to be very alert tonight. I cannot make a mistake because it can cost Katniss's life.

We finish our food in silence, both of us deep in thought. I don't interrupt hers because I have a feeling that she's thinking more of Thresh than of Cato, and I want to give her the space to grieve. Tonight's news has exhausted us emotionally, so we move to the sleeping bag immediately and prepare to settle in for the night.

"I'll take the first watch Katniss." I volunteer, because I know that she's still not over the news yet. Maybe she needs to cry. "I'll wake you up when I feel sleepy."

She doesn't protest this time and lays down next to me. I put the night-vision shades on and stared at the top of Katniss's head. She pulled her hood over her face and curled next to me, effectively hiding her face from the cameras. I was right: she needs this time to grieve for Thresh.

I dreaded thinking of what the morning will bring, almost certain that tomorrow is the beginning of a huge change. Tomorrow may or may not be our death. I reject that idea, focusing my thoughts instead on keeping my promise of ensuring that Katniss will return to District 12 - with or without me.

If I'm being honest with myself, I desperately want it to be with me. Now that the Gamemakers have allowed it and Katniss has allowed me to be in her life, I can actually feel optimistic about our future. I want to survive this Game and be crowned as Victor - not for the glory of it all, but for the possibility of spending all my days with her by my side. The thought itself is enough to make me wish for Cato and Foxface's death.

* * *

My stomach grumbled again only a few hours later, and I'm thinking if this is because of the greedy fact that I know there's still food waiting for us. I tried to ignore it at first but hunger won over. I carefully stood up, making sure that Katniss isn't bothered, and take out a roll, the cheese, and an apple. As I cut the apples to small tidbits, I vividly remember the days I spent making apple tart in the bakery, sweeping me in a wave of homesickness. I ignore it, slicing the roll in half and carefully placing the cheese and apple tidbits on top. The cheese smells heavenly, and I know Katniss will love this little thing I prepared for us. To make sure that it tastes how I intend it to be, I eagerly bite my part and felt satisfied as the taste exploded in my mouth.

I kneel beside her, gently stroking her cheek as I whispered her name. Her eyes opened slowly, searching for trouble but relaxing instantly as she sees me hovering.

"What's that?" She mumbles, slowly getting up to a sitting position.

"Don't be mad, I had to eat again. Here's your half." I reply, handing her the roll.

"Oh, good." Katniss answers, eagerly taking the roll from me. I observed her reaction as she took a large bite. Delight filled me as she a moan of pleasure escaped her lips. "Mmmmm."

"We make a goat cheese and apple tart at the bakery."

"Bet that's expensive." She retorts.

"Too expensive for my family to eat. Unless it's gone very stale. Of course, practically everything we eat is stale." Katniss probably thinks that we're better off than the people in the Seam, but the truth is, we're not. Our only difference is that they need to scavenge for food (Katniss and Gale, in their case, hunts), while we eat the bread that has gone stale. It's the cold, hard truth.

I crawled back to the sleeping bag, my eyes feeling heavy. Tomorrow's going to be a big day.

* * *

I feel someone shaking my shoulder, bringing me back to consciousness. I unwillingly open my eyes, wanting to sleep for a few more minutes, but I know that I need to wake up now. When my eyes find Katniss's, my focus came back in an instant.

There had been a time when I dreamed of waking up in the morning beside Katniss and kissing her as soon as I open my eyes. I pulled her down to me and gave her a long, good morning kiss, not stopping to think if she approves of my actions. My confidence has greatly improved in the past few days.

I feel her soft lips responding to my kiss, shaping themselves perfectly into mine. _I love her, _I thought, not wanting to let go.

"We're wasting hunting time." Katniss declares when she finally breaks away. A huge grin settles itself on my lips. She's right, the day is indeed good enough for hunting. The rain has finally stopped.

"I wouldn't call it wasting." I say, stretching as I sit up. "So do we hunt on empty stomachs to give us an edge?"

"Not us. We stuff ourselves to give us staying power."

"Count me in." I agree cheerfully, because I'm honestly hungry again. I watch as she divides the remaining stew on our plates, giving me one with the bigger portion. "All this?" I ask, surprised. I thought she'd want to save some for lunch or dinner.

"We'll earn it back today." Katniss answers.

"How come I have a bigger share?"

"Because I'm not very hungry, and I want you to be full."

I raise my eyebrows at her questioningly, but she stopped my protest. "Don't bother telling me that it's not fair. Eat it, alright?" Katniss says, kissing me softly for good measure.

I concede, and we eat our meal in silence, relishing the deliciousness of the food. When we're almost done, Katniss suddenly drops her fork and scrapes up the last dabs of gravy with her finger. "I can feel Effie Trinket shuddering at my manners." She says mischievously.

I laugh, remembering the scene at the train where Effie commented about the manners of past tributes from our district. Katniss had been so offended by that commented that she made it a point to "eat like a savage" - as Effie put it - the entire meal. This, of course, earned a grimace from Effie.

"Hey, Effie, watch this!" I say loudly, tossing my own fork over my shoulder and licking my plate clean accompanied by loud sounds. I blow a kiss in the air, smiling widely. "We miss you, Effie!"

Katniss laughs with me. She covers my mouth with her hand, but she's still laughing uncontrollably. "Stop! Cato could be right outside our cave."

I still have that happy feeling from our playful reference to Effie that I didn't have the least bit of worry about Cato. I hold her hand, staring at her happily as I pull her closer to me. "What do I care? I've got you to protect me now."

"Come on." She says, ignoring my statement. I lean in toward her again, locking our mouths together.

Katniss releases herself after a short while, playfully punching me in the arm. "Alright Mr. Mellark, we need to get our butts moving or else we'll be starving again!"

If I could have it my way, I prefer to stay here in this cave with her until Cato and Foxface dies. But I know that's impossible - for one, we'll soon get hungry, and the Gamemakers will surely not allow our victory to be that easy.

We pack up our belongings, making sure that we get all the necessary things like our remaining food and weapons (which is really just Katniss's bow and arrows and a knife). I immediately offer to carry the pack because I don't want her to be burdened by it.

"And now it's time to face the world." Katniss says softly.

I look at her, smiling sadly because this could be the last time that we'll ever be as safe in the arena as we could be. Who knows what dangers we could encounter on this hunting trip?

"Katniss," I whisper, stopping her before she could finally slip outside. I held her face between my hands and stared into her eyes tenderly. No words seemed enough to show the desperation I feel to keep her safe, so I just kissed her lips, loving the way it calmed me some and made me feel stronger. "Let's go." I say before the fear could return.

* * *

Today is the first time I've ever been outside since we settled ourselves on our cave. Contrary to the past few days, the weather now is very warm and sunny. All of my senses became alert as soon as we're outside, and I slip into my belt the knife that Katniss gave me.

"He'll be hunting us by now. Cato isn't one to wait for his prey to wander by." I tell her.

"If he's wounded - "

"It won't matter. If he can move, he's coming." From the few days that I've spent with Cato and the Careers, I've seen his single-minded determination to get to Katniss. And now that there are only four of us left, Cato will be ten times more aggressive in his search.

"Let's refill our water bottles first." I remind Katniss. She nods, taking the bottles from me, and handing it back when they're full. Then we began to move.

"If we want food, we better head back up to my old hunting grounds." Katniss declares after we find all her snares empty.

"Your call." I answer. I'm up for anything she wants me to do, and this is her field of expertise anyway, so who am I to protest? "Just tell me what you need me to do."

"Keep an eye out. Stay on the rocks as much as possible, no sense in leaving him tracks to follow. And listen for both of us."

I did as she instructed, trying to copy her lithe movements along the rocks. We walk in silence as we head further away, concentrating on our task at hand and not wanting to attract Cato or Foxface to our location. I can feel my strength waning from the physical exertion - the huge rocks prove to be a very challenging course for my legs. However, I didn't complain or ask for a break because I don't want to delay our task.

What seemed like hours later, we were back at the forest floor of pine needles. I sigh inwardly, relieved that the treacherous rocks are already past us. I carefully walk behind her while at the same time roaming my eyes around for signs of the other tributes. We haven't talked since we left the cave, so when she snapped her head to look at me, I instantly feel defensive.

"What?" I ask her.

"You've got to move more quietly. Forget about Cato, you're chasing off every rabbit in a ten-mile radius."

Shame pulsed through me as I realized that I'm keeping the game away. My footsteps doesn't sound noisy to me, but to her hunter's ears (note that her left ear is deaf after the explosion), I'm making so much noises. "Really? Sorry I didn't know."

She starts walking again after my apology, and I try my hardest to walk quietly. I observe how she walks in the woods, trying to imitate her because I don't want to disappoint her again.

"Can you take your boots off?" She says suddenly.

"Here?" I ask incredulously. _She must be kidding, right? _I know from her suggestion that my attempts to be quiet are futile, but still...

"Yes. I will, too. That way, we'll both be quieter."

I know that Katniss offered to remove her boots as well because she doesn't want me to feel too bad about it. She's not making any noise at all, but she proceeds to remove her boots and socks anyway. I quickly do the same. There's not much time for arguments now, and if that's what she thinks best, why not?

"I'll carry your boots." I tell her. "You'll need both of your hands for hunting."

"Thanks." Katniss replies.

I place our boots and socks in the backpack. We continue our journey in silence, and it's another few hours when we reach another stream.

"Peeta, let's rest here for a while."

I nod in agreement, needing the rest more than I'd like to admit. Even though the swelling is gone, my legs are still not ready for the physical exertion. I empty my water container, quickly refilling it after. Katniss is deep in thought beside me.

"Katniss, we need to split up. I know I'm chasing away the game." I say seriously. As much as I hate to have her out of my sight, I know that it's necessary. Katniss will be more annoyed if we don't get anything today.

"Only because you're leg's hurt." She answers defensively. Of course, I know that my bad leg is not the only factor here. It takes years of practice to be able to move stealthily in the woods.

"I know. So, why don't you go on? Show me some plants to gather and that way we'll both be useful."

"Not if Cato comes and kills you." She replies, then looks like she instantly regrets saying it.

It's true: in the case of another face-to-face encounter with Cato, I know that I'm at a disadvantage. But I will never let that stop me; just like before, I will do everything I can to stop him. Katniss's statement didn't offend me at all because it makes me feel like she's worried for me. I laugh lightly to help clear her tension.

"Look, I can handle Cato. I fought him before, didn't I?"

"What if you climbed up in a tree and acted as a lookout while I hunted?"

_I doubt that you even need a lookout, _I thought. _Does she really think I could climb a tree? _

"What if you show me what's edible around here and go get us some meat? Just don't go far, in case you need help." I respond, copying the tone that she used.

"Fine." Katniss replies, sighing loudly. She drags me closer to the stream, pointing at some roots and holding them up for me to see. "Here. Look for ones like this around here."

"Okay. How about other plants?"

"I think it's better for us to stick to the roots here. It's more difficult to identify edible plants. I'll be staying close."

"Okay." I answer, watching as she walked away.

"Oh wait," Katniss says suddenly, turning back around to look at me. I look at her expectantly. "We need a signal."

"What signal?"

"A whistle. The mockingjays will copy it, so even if we're apart, we'll both know when the other is safe."

I nod, liking the idea. I'd want to know if Katniss is fine. "Teach me."

"Just do a simple one." She replies, humming a two-note tune that the mockingjays copy after a short while. "You try."

I make a simple whistle, feeling amazed when the birds sing it back. I look at Katniss for approval, and see that she's smiling. "That's good. Okay, let's send those signals every once in a while, okay? The sound don't always return immediately, but they do."

"Okay. Take care, Katniss, alright?"

She snickers. "I will, Peeta. Be on your guard. I'll be back soon."

Katniss turns to leave again. When I can't see her anymore, I turn toward the stream, not wanting to waste any more time. I studiously gather the roots that Katniss pointed at me, then carefully piled them at the sheet of plastic that we have. The current is still too strong and it's beginning to hurt my leg, so instead of straining it more, I walk out of the water and look for something else to gather.

* * *

I had been wandering around for quite sometime, hesitant to gather some plants because I don't know if it's edible or not. Katniss and I have been constantly exchanging signals, so I know that she's safe. I was almost about to give up when I spot a berry bush near the stream that looked like the ones we were eating on the cave. I smiled widely. _Katniss will be happy about_ _this! _

My stomach was beginning to get hungry again. The berries look very tempting and I almost ate one but debated against it because I want to eat it with Katniss. I was about to return to our things to dump another handful of berries when I hear her scream.

"Peeta!"

Without even thinking, I run in the direction her voice is coming. Did they find her? Cato? Foxface? Adrenaline pulsed through me, and I have just reached the clearing when I see her and an arrow flies to a tree beside me. I step back, surprised.

"What are you doing?" She screams when she finally sees me. "You're supposed to be here, not running around in the woods!"

"I found some berries down by the stream," I reply immediately, not bothering to surprise her anymore. _Why is she so angry? _

"I whistled. Why didn't you whistle back?"

_Oh, so that's why. _"I didn't hear. The water's too loud, I guess." I say, walking over to her. Katniss's face is flushed, and her whole body is trembling. I rest my hands on her shoulders, staring at her eyes.

"I thought Cato killed you!"

"No, I'm fine." I try to assure her. Instinctively, I wrap my hands around her to make her feel safe and certain that I'm really fine. She doesn't respond, and her body keeps trembling. I look at her worriedly. "Katniss?"

She pushes me away and looks at me angrily. "If two people agree on a signal, they stay in range. Because if one of them doesn't answer, they're in trouble, all right?"

"All right!" I still don't get why she's so mad.

"All right. Because that's what happened with Rue, and I watched her die!" She shouted, turning away from me and heading to where I placed our pack and the food I gathered. "And you ate without me!" She screamed again.

"What?" I asked, confused. "No, I didn't."

"Oh, and I suppose the apples ate the cheese."

Katniss is acting very irrationally now. I kept my voice even. "I don't know what ate the cheese, but it wasn't me. I've been down by the stream collecting berries." Even when I was hungry, I stopped myself from eating and waited for her. "Would you care for some?" I ask her, trying to reconcile.

She doesn't answer, but she walked to me and looked at the berries, picking a few and staring at it as she turned away from me again. Katniss was looking at it studiously when we suddenly hear the cannon fire.

She whipped around, probably expecting to see me dead. I raise my eyebrows at her._ Foxface or Cato, _I thought. Either way, it's still one tribute down. Only one person left before we're declared winners.

We waited for the hovercraft that's sure to appear. Surprise filled me when I saw how close it is - close enough that we can see who died. Foxface.

This could only mean one thing. Cato killed her, so Cato must be _that _near too. I grab Katniss's arm and push her in a nearby tree. "Climb!" I tell her anxiously in a whispered voice. She's fast, she'll be safe there. "He'll be here in a second. We'll stand a better chance fighting him from above."

I used the term "we", but I know that I'll never be able to make it up. I can't climb a tree. And I intend to block Cato from climbing up - he may have failed the last time, but who knows what he's capable of now? No, I can't risk it. I need Katniss safe up there.

To my dismay, Katniss refuses to move. _Surely, she understands the danger we're in now, right? We both saw Foxface. _

I look at her, startled. There's no time to argue now, but Katniss looks surprisingly calm. "No Peeta, she's your kill, not Cato's."

_How can she think that? Did she think I was lying? _"What? I haven't even seen her since the first day." I say defensively. "How could I have killed her?"

Katniss doesn't answer, but instead shows me the berries in her hand.

* * *

_Author's note:_

_I'm so sorry if it took me a while to update. I've been busy the past few days... but I promise to update more this week! _

_Thank you for all your responses and comments. Because of your answers, I will also be writing the Mockingjay in Peeta's perspective. Thank you so much for your support. :) I'll be starting Catching Fire soon. _

_Hi Katriss_ _Mellark, Owl, Owl 123, The one who writes the ones, Molitalia90, and svp24151198!_

_To everyone, please continue giving me comments, it really means a lot to know if I'm still on track with the story! Thanks again everyone. _

_Lots of love. _


	21. Cornucopia

**CHAPTER 21**

**CORNUCOPIA**

* * *

I look dumbly at the berries that Katniss held out to me. _Is she implying that I killed Foxface with those berries? But I never gave any to her... _

"Katniss, I swear, I didn't see her."

"I know, Peeta. I believe you." Katniss responds. Her anger seemed to ebb now, and she's speaking to me calmly, just like before. "Foxface stole it from the pile."

"What? How do you know?"

She sighs, and a strange look - _disbelief? Annoyance?_ - crossed her eyes. "When I went to the Cornucopia to blow out the Careers' supply pile, I was waiting in my hiding place to look for clues on what's going in there. All the Careers including the boy for District 3 left, making me even more puzzled. After a while, I saw her. She did that strange hopping dance as if she was trying to avoid something, then she went to the pile and stole from the food. She was very smart. Foxface made sure to take only a small portion for every food so that the Careers won't notice that someone stole from them. That's what I'm guessing happened here. You were gathering those food for us to eat, so she wouldn't question the safety of the berries because we ourselves are planning to eat it."

I nodded as she finished her story, understanding everything now. "I wonder how she found us. My fault, I guess, if I'm as loud as you say." I'm a bit ashamed at myself that she was able to sneak up on me; to think that I have been alert and watchful of my surroundings. Apparently, I was not alert enough.

"And she's very clever, Peeta. Well, she was. Until you outfoxed her."

She's right, but I slowly feel the guilt creeping up on me. She's my first kill, and as unintentional as it may be, it's still a life taken away. It's a good thing for us, of course. But still...

"Not on purpose. Doesn't seem fair somehow. I mean, we would have both been dead too, if she hadn't eaten the berries first."

I recalled our conversation, suddenly realizing that I was wrong on one point. Katniss knew that the berries were poisonous. If she hadn't known, she would have climbed up the tree as I told her too.

"No, of course we wouldn't. You recognized them, didn't you?"

She nods. "We call them nightlock."

"Even the name sounds deadly." I muse. "I'm sorry, Katniss. I really thought they were the same ones you'd gathered." My stupidity could have gotten us killed if Katniss didn't know about those berries! I heaved a sigh of relief when I remembered wanting to taste it, but holding back because I wanted to eat at the same time with her.

"Don't apologize. It just means we're one step closer to home, right?"

Yes. Another enemy down. Now, there's only Cato left. We can do it, can't we?

"I'll get rid of the rest." I tell her, not wanting to see the berries anymore. I pick up a sheet of blue plastic, carefully placing all the berries inside. I was about to toss the plastic in the woods when I hear Katniss shout.

"Wait!"

I turned to her, curious why she stopped me. She brought out a leather pouch and took the plastic from me, grabbing a handful of berries and transferring them to her pouch. "If they fooled Foxface, maybe they can fool Cato as well. If he's chasing us or something, we can act like we accidentally drop the pouch and if he eats them -"

"Then hello District 12." I finish for her. The thought of going back home with Katniss is much too enticing.

"That's it." She agrees, securing the pouch in her belt.

"He'll know where we are now." I say urgently. "If he was anywhere nearby and saw that hovercraft, he'll know we killed her and come after us."

Maybe that's what Cato had been doing after all. Maybe he was waiting for us to find and kill Foxface, so that he will know where we are.

"Let's make a fire. Right now." Katniss says, gathering branches and brush and tossing them together in one pile.

_Does she want Cato to find us now? _

"Are you ready to face him?" I ask.

"I'm ready to eat. Better cook our food while we have the chance. If he knows we're here, he knows. But he also knows there's two of us and probably assumes we were hunting Foxface. That means you're recovered. And the fire means we're not hiding, we're inviting him here. Would you show up?"

It is a smart plan. Cato will most likely not fall into a trap. "Maybe not." I admit, answering her question.

I begin picking up the damp wood she collected. "I'll start the fire while you prepare the meat."

I arranged the branches as base, then proceeded to make a teepee on top of it using the small twigs and brush. I took a piece of stick, spinning it between my palms on a flat wood. Fire blazed out almost immediately. I turn to look at Katniss to get the meat, and I see her eyeing me with a slight smile on her face.

"You're good with that." She notes.

"Yeah, well, my dad taught me that." I answer, recalling the times we spent in the backyard trying to light a fire. "And I learned quite a few things in training."

She laughs, sticking out a rabbit on the fire. She offered to cook while I look around to watch out for Cato.

"Maybe we can gather some more greens?" I offer.

"That's a nice idea. But let's just stick to those nearby. We wouldn't want to be separated in case Cato comes."

I nod, because I have no intent to leave her alone again. Especially not now.

We take turns gathering, cooking, and watching out. As expected, Cato was nowhere in sight. We finish cooking the two rabbits and squirrel as well as the roots after a few hours. I keep a careful watch as she packed up the food, preparing for our descent.

"Here." Katniss said, standing beside me and handing me a rabbit's leg. "We can eat this while we walk."

"Where are we going?" As always, I still leave the decision up to her.

"Maybe we can move higher in the woods and settle on a good tree for the night."

I gaped at her openly. "Katniss, are you serious?"

Confusion twisted her features as she considered my expression. "Why?"

"I can't climb like you, Katniss, especially with my leg, and I don't think I could ever fall asleep fifty feet above the ground."

My qualms may sound childish or whiny to her, but I have to tell her. I will never be able to make it up. _Did she really have that much fate in my capabilities? _

"It's not safe to stay in the open, Peeta." She counters.

"Can't we go back to the cave?" I ask her pleadingly. I'm desperate now. "It's near water and easy to defend."

She sighs loudly and I can see the exasperated look on her face, but she considered my words for a moment. I watch her nervously, prepared to provide counter-arguments again in case she rejects my suggestion.

Surprisingly, Katniss came close to me and gave me a soft kiss on the lips. "Sure. Let's go back to the cave."

I breathed a sigh of relief. Katniss is rarely this considerate. "Well, that was easy."

She punched me lightly in the arm, laughing at my obvious relief. "Come on, let's start trekking so that we can be back before the sun is out."

We threw a bit more wood on the fire so that it will light up for a few more hours before we began walking back to our cave.

* * *

"Let's walk in the stream. Are you okay with that?"

I eyed the stream, remembering how it hurt my leg earlier. But I saw that the water level has dropped considerably and the current is back to its leisurely pace again. This couldn't hurt, and it will help us to cover our tracks. "Sure."

We walk silently in the water, eating our rabbit legs as we go. Today's trek is taking its toll on me, but I persevere because I'm actually excited to get back to our cave. I watch the sky as it slowly changed colors, indicating that night is about to fall. I stay quiet, marveling in its beauty and of the girl before me. _Katniss. _What I wouldn't give to have a life with her. I'm even willing to change myself - to kill - just to get her out of here alive. These thoughts brought me back to Foxface, and I felt sorrow in my chest again. It may have been accidental, but the thought that I've ended someone's life with my actions... it's still too much to take in for my conscience.

I know that we're near our cave when the stream begins to slope upwards and the terrain becomes rocky.

"We're here." I say happily.

Katniss looks back to smile at me. "We did it!"

"Thank you Katniss. For agreeing to get back here."

She stops in her tracks and walks closer to me. "Anything for you. It's the least I can do."

I shake my head, surprised by the tenderness in her voice. "You've already done so much."

Katniss laughs again at my remark, planting a soft kiss on my cheek. "Come on, let's fill our water bottles and head back to our cave."

I know that the Games is about to end. Maybe tonight or tomorrow, who knows? I breathed heavily and quickly thought back to my time in the arena. I hate the Games, the circumstances that make us all victims, the necessity it brings to make us reveal the monsters in us. But I can't hate it enough. How can I? The Games have been a curse, but it brought me the best days of life. It made me closer to her, and if I live through this, we'll have this common experience to keep us close together. The thought itself makes me smile. There could be better days if we make it out alive.

* * *

Sleep came to me almost as soon as we got back to our cave, so when Katniss woke me and I see that it's almost daylight now, I know that I've cost her her rest yet again. I didn't even realize how long I've been sleeping, so when I first felt her hand shaking me awake, I panicked.

"I slept the whole night. That's not fair, Katniss, you should have woken me."

"I'll sleep now. Wake me if anything interesting happens."

I nodded and settled to sit beside her. After a full night's sleep, my mind has become increasingly alert. I want to leave this arena now, but I know that we have to face one last challenge before that.

_How bad will it be? _I wondered. The fight of the last remaining tributes are almost always brutal and bloody at the very least. The Gamemakers always try to make it dramatic. _What do they have in store for us? _I find myself growing anxious every minute, waiting for Cato or for a force of nature that will threaten our lives.

I hate to think what the next minutes or hours will be like, but I'm glad that I got the extra time to rest to refuel myself. Yesterday's trek and my tiredness shows how I'm still in a very bad shape, but at least I know that if I try hard enough, I can still fight. My drive to survive is fiercer now.

* * *

"Any sign of our friend?" Katniss silently asks beside me, signifying that she's awake now. It's afternoon already.

"No, he's keeping a disturbingly low profile." I answer, shaking my head. Oddly, I wish Cato will just come and find us. I think it's better and a lot easier for us to deal with him than with a force propelled by the Gamemakers. They tend to have _too _much fun watching the tributes suffer in those final minutes.

"How long do you think we'll have before the Gamemakers drive us together?"

"Well..." I begin assessing the situation carefully. _How long do we have before the Capitol gets bored? _"Foxface died almost a day ago, so there's been plenty of time for the audience to place bets and get bored. I guess it could happen at any moment."

"Yeah, I have a feeling today's the day." She says calmly as she sits up. "I wonder how they'll do it."

I try to come up with a good answer, but ended up saying nothing. All I can think of is blood and gore - and I'll do my best to keep Katniss unscathed.

"Well, until they do, no sense in wasting a hunting day. But we should probably eat as much as we can hold just in case we run into trouble."

"Agreed."

My heart is hammering wildly in my chest - an attack could come at any moment. I forced myself to focus on packing our things, making sure that I don't forget to put anything. Katniss is spreading yesterday's meat on our plates; we will be eating the rest of the rabbits, roots, rolls, and cheese today. The sense of finality is creeping up on us.

We eat the food together in silence, both of us apparently deep in thought about the next few hours.

"Augh," Katniss groaned. "Are we ready to leave?"

"Yes, we're set to go."

"Let's wash our hands first. I hate the grease."

I follow her outside without another word, instantly feeling anxious as we left the sanctity of our cave. Katniss's fingers lightly touch the rocks we pass through. I'm actually eager to get to the stream to wash off all this dirt.

We freeze in our tracks when we get there, both of us looking incredulously at the scene before us. _This is it, _I thought. The Gamemakers are starting their plan.

"Not even a little damp." Katniss says as her fingers touch what used to be the stream. "They must have drained it while we slept."

This is not a good start, and we both know it. The temperature in the arena has risen significantly today; the sun too hot for comfort. Surely, this move tells us something about the Gamemakers' plan.

"The lake. That's where they want us to go." I state matter-of-factly.

"Maybe the ponds still have some." Katniss says desperately.

"We can check..." I begin. _Anything to avoid the lake. _We both know that the ponds are most likely drained too.

We make the route anyway, slowly walking through the trees and rocks so as to not drain our energy and to prevent our throats from drying out. When we reach the pond, we see the evidence right before our eyes.

"You're right. They're driving us to the lake." Katniss mutters. "Do you want to go straightaway or wait until the water's tapped out?"

_What could be there at the lake? _I can't think of anything else apart from the Cornucopia and a vast space.

"Let's go now, while we've had food and rest. Let's just go end this thing."

Katniss nodded but made no move to walk away. She looked deep in thought. _Is she scared of what's waiting for us at the lake? _

I wrap my arms around her still figure, wanting her to feel protected. "Two against one. Should be a piece of cake." I whisper. Which could be true - except that there will be an intervention. Not to mention the fact that Cato has something with him from the feast, and we still don't know what it is.

"Next time we eat, it will be in the Capitol." Katniss replies.

"You bet it will." I agree. Every fiber in my being wills it to be true. I want to go home with the girl I love.

We stay locked in our embrace for a long time, and I embed this moment in my mind for as long as I breath. When we finally break apart, I stare deeply into her eyes and clearly see my reason for living.

_I will not let them break us apart now. _

* * *

On our way back, we pass through other areas of the arena that is in a way memorable to us, like the tracker jacker tree. We rest from time to time, not wanting to exhaust all our strength in preparation for our battle with Cato. I know it won't be easy, but hey, as the cliche goes, nothing good ever comes easy, right?

Darkness is starting to creep in the skies, giving the arena a more scary vibe. I can see the Cornucopia now, but there doesn't seem to be any sign of life in here. My eyes scanned all around to make sure that Cato is not hiding anywhere. _Where is he?_

"He's not here. Let's just refill our bottles, in case we need to camp out." I say.

"That's a good idea."

"We don't want to fight him after dark. There's only one pair of glasses." Katniss tells me. I've been squeezing drops of iodine into our water to purify it.

"Maybe that's what he's waiting for." I answer. Cato is a fighter, he will not go down without trying. Either he's waiting for the perfect time or he's waiting for the Gamemakers' intervention. "What do you want to do? Go back to the cave?"

"Either that or find a tree. But let's give him another half hour or so. Then we'll take cover."

I don't argue when she mentioned the tree, we both know it's the only option we have. I really doubt that I'll make it up there, but I can always try, right? And if I fail, then I'll find another place to hide.

We sit side by side in the lake, not even making an attempt to stay hidden. Katniss begins to hum, and I am once again drawn to the beautiful sound of her voice. As expected, the mockingjays around us paused singing when Katniss began hers, and after a polite pause, they all imitate her note.

"Just like your father." I noted.

"That's Rue's song. I think they remember it." Katniss whispers, clutching the pin on her shirt. Sadness fills her eyes again.

We listen quietly at the peaceful singing of the mockingjays. Katniss closed her eyes - basking in the beautiful notes - but I refuse to do the same for fear that Cato will sneak up on us. Instead, I focus my eyes on her face and take in her beauty.

I was content at our peaceful moment when her eyes flew wide and I detected the rapid change in the mockingjay's tone. Their music grew shrill, piercing.

_The time has come. _

We're on our feet at once - my knife at the ready, and Katniss poised to shoot. Our feet stayed firmly planted on the ground. We're not going to run away from this. We're going to face Cato head-on.


	22. The Final Hours

**CHAPTER 22**

**THE FINAL HOURS**

* * *

Katniss's arrow flew towards Cato, and I knew in an instant that it will hit. _Would Cato really run to us - exposed - just like that? _

"He's got some kind of body armor!" Katniss shouts at me. She didn't have to, I'd seen it all to myself. Maybe this is what the Gamemakers gave him: protection from her arrows, knowing that the final battle will involve the three of us. If Cato is protected from head to toe with that body armor, then we only have one choice left: hit him in the head.

Surprise filled me as I watch Cato dash past us and into the Cornucopia. I look at Katniss and see that my confusion is mirrored in her eyes. _The only reason why Cato would not even bother to look at us and run crazily like that is if someone - or something - is pursuing him. _

The pieces clicked together at the same time I heard the thundering of paws on the ground. It's too late though, because by the time that I realize these things, the creature has already made its way to the clearing as well.

Muttations.

* * *

Instinctively, I turn away from it, running as fast as my wounded self can carry me. I didn't have to scream for Katniss to run; she's got enough presence of mind to run towards the Cornucopia. Apparently, that's the safest place we can be: it's the only one high enough at this moment. The mutts are getting nearer, my leg had greatly decreased my speed. I still try to outrun them, though. There's no way I'm going down without a fight.

Ahead me, I see Katniss suddenly whip her head around to look for me. _What is she doing? Why is she suddenly hesitating? _We have no time to waste; she can't afford to pause now. It will cost her her life. She sent an arrow in my direction, aiming for the mutts. But her arrows will not be enough to take them all down. I get the feeling that their numbers are easily at a dozen, if not more.

"Go, Katniss! Go!" I shout at her. If we're going to fight at all, we need to be up there. We don't stand a chance here on the ground.

I keep an eye out for the mutts as Katniss clambered up the Cornucopia. I held my knife firmly, ready to strike at the approaching creatures. One of the wolf-like muttations bared its teeth at me, but I continued running. I've just reached the tail of the Cornucopia when one of them swiped at my leg. I screamed in agony, but I don't dare to look at the damage yet. I ran faster.

"Climb!" I hear Katniss yell above me. Adrenaline pulsed through me, but even so, I found it extremely difficult to climb up. An arrow flew past my head - Katniss must have killed one of them as I hear it howling in pain. I continue to climb higher, and after a few agonizing moments, I finally reached Katniss's feet. She helped me up and we collapse together on top of the horn. Cato is only a few feet away from us, but he's much too distracted to take advantage of our moment of weakness. He himself has been drained of all energy.

"Can they climb it?" I hear Cato ask. This must have been the least thing I ever thought could happen - but for now, at least, it seemed that it's not me and Katniss against Cato. It's the three of us against the mutts.

"What?" She shouted back.

"He said, 'can they climb it?'" I repeated to her.

We watch tiredly as the mutts assembled at the foot of the horn, preparing to attack us. _How can these creatures be so smart? _They even seem to be forming their strategy, and they can easily stand on their back legs. Like humans. Panic rose through me as I considered Cato's question. It does seem possible...

Katniss shrieked beside me. I turn my attention away from the mutts to look at her, and I see that her gaze is fixed on them still. She has that shocked look on her face.

"Katniss?" I say, gripping her arm.

"It's her!" She said loudly, fear evident in her voice.

I'm lost. Who is she talking about? "Who?"

She did not respond at my question, but her face whipped hysterically from side to side, her eyes growing wider each time. "What is it, Katniss?" I repeated, gripping her shoulders this time to get her attention.

"It's them. It's all of them. The others. Rue and Foxface and... all of the other tributes."

Her words slowly registered to my brain, and I stared at the mutts with surprise and fury. My arms dropped from her shoulders to her arms, clutching on to it for support. Katniss is right. Their eyes... I can distinctly see each one. Even their sizes seem to depend on the dead tributes' height and weight. Did the Capitol transform them into this? Is it really them, or just another way for the Gamemakers to instill additional fear on us?

I had been pondering too much on these things that I didn't notice one of the mutts until I felt a sharp pain in my leg as its teeth sunk to my flesh. I cried out loudly. It's powerful teeth tried to grab me downwards, but I gathered all my remaining strength, holding on to dear life. I can't give up just yet. Cato is still alive. I can feel Katniss holding my arm, trying to keep me in place. But we're slipping further downwards...

"Kill it, Peeta! Kill it!" She shouted at me.

I swiped my knife at the mutt, digging it deep in its flesh until I felt its tug loosen. Katniss dragged me back to her side, and we crawled together at the horn. I look at the mutts, sure that my strength cannot make it anymore if another one is to grab me. My leg is throbbing painfully. Something suddenly grabs me upward, forcing me to stand on my feet as I was dragged away from Katniss.

This is no mutt. This is surely Cato.

He kept a headlock on me, and from my experience, I know that there's no way for me to wrestle my way out of this. His grip on me is too tight, and I'm still too weak from the mutt's attack. Katniss aimed an arrow at Cato.

"Shoot me and he goes down with me." Cato challenges while laughing maniacally. I can see anger glinting in Katniss's eyes, and the look of concentration she's giving. We both know he's right. If Katniss shoots, Cato will drag me with him; if she doesn't, he'll kill me with this headlock. It's a win-win situation for Cato, both scenarios ending in my death. I can already feel the air leaving my lungs, my breathing too labored. My brain wracked for another possible way out.

I don't try to fight Cato. It will not do me any good. If anything, it will only strain me further, and he can easily push me towards the mutts. Katniss is still hesitating in front of me, and I can see that she too is also thinking of a way out.

Cato may not have known that I am a bit knowledgeable when it comes to hand-to-hand combat. I've come up with a solution.

Stealthily, I raise my fingers to Cato's arm. I lock my eyes on Katniss. Her gaze is fixed on the two of us. Slowly, I draw an X at the back of Cato's hand, and I see recognition in her eyes instantly. She released the arrow - which I don't doubt will hit the right spot - and I slam back against him when his grip on me relaxed. Katniss reaches for my arm, gripping it tightly as Cato fell downwards on the ground towards the hungry mutts.

I cling to Katniss as we hear the mutts attacking Cato. The cannon didn't come yet, which means that he's still breathing, fighting his way upwards. _The body armor, that must be it, _I think. But he can't do it, the mutts are too plenty for him.

Katniss and I collapse on the horn, waiting for Cato's death. It's as horrible as it can be - his anguished cries constantly resonating amid the mutt's greedy snarls. I wish there's a way to end his suffering right now, both for his own good and for ours. Despite what he's done, I can't bear the thought of having him die like this, tortured and slowly degenerating. But most of all, we need it too, because his death will soon be followed by the announcement of our victory and there's nothing more that I need right now other than to leave this hell of a place.

I felt the wound on my leg now that the adrenaline has completely gone off. It's bothersome, and I feel more drained than ever. I can feel my life slipping away. If only I can close my eyes to rest... but I can't. I can't do that to Katniss, not now. I know that she's also terrified of what's happening with Cato, and she too, must want this to end already. Her thin body is slightly shaking beside me, and I try to reach out to her. Unfortunately, my muscles can't do even this simple action. I frown at the sky.

* * *

After the sky displayed that there are no deaths tonight, I can feel Katniss moving beside me. I can't turn to watch what she's doing, however, so I focus instead on staying up (and alive). I have a feeling that if I close my eyes, my life will slip away from me, and I don't want that. Not now, not when I know we've won this. How can it be so hard?

I feel some pressure on my leg. It must be what Katniss is doing. Surprisingly, I don't feel much pain from the movements - it has grown numb because of the cold night air. Or is the damage that bad that my nerves can't feel anymore?

"Don't go to sleep." Katniss instructs me. My lips twitch to a small smile, she's still taking care of me. A sudden thought hit me. We've left all our supplies at the lake... so what did she use for my leg?

My eyes look at her quizzically, and I feel relieved to see that she still has her jacket on. But she's shaking uncontrollably... so she must have removed her shirt.

"Are you cold?" I ask her. It was stupid, I didn't have to ask to know. I don't wait for her answer as I gather my remaining strength and unzip my jacket. "Come closer here." I whisper. She does so, pressing her cheek against my shoulder. I fasten my jacket around her securely so that we are in it together. We lay in silence after that, just staring at the sky, waiting for the end.

* * *

"Cato may win this thing yet." She whispers to me after a while.

I look at her, disappointment flooding through me. _How can she think that? _We've gone this far, we can't give up now! All we have to do is wait... but how long will it really take for him to die? The mutts are definitely taking their precious time.

"Don't you believe it." I answer her fiercely, pulling the hood of her jacket upward. I feel it, of course. Cato is battling the mutts, while we are up here battling the _extremely _cold night. The Capitol must be enjoying this a lot.

"Why don't they just kill him?" Katniss asks in a small voice.

"You know why." _Because they find this amusing. Because this is the climax of the Games, and everyone's at the edge of their seats right now, waiting to see who will win the betting. _

I'm starting to feel really tired after a short while. Still no cannon. My eyes become really heavy, wanting to shut off completely and fall asleep. I need to rest, but I still stubbornly try to fight it.

"Peeta!" Katniss shouts beside me when my eyes begin to close again. I open it, alarmed. "Don't sleep!"

"I'm sorry, I'm trying not to." I mumble. I think I don't sound coherent.

"Please..." She says, whimpering. Her hands hold both sides of my face. "Just stay up, alright?"

This continued for what seemed like hours. Katniss screamed my name everytime I begin to doze of, and her tone becomes increasingly panicked each time. I try to focus on something, anything, to keep me up.

"It must be midnight now." I say.

"How can you say so?"

"The sky. It seems to be blackest at that time, and the moon is also brightest. Look at it."

She does. "We'll make it through."

"I hope it happens soon enough."

She doesn't reply to this, but we continue tracking the changes in the sky's colors and the moon over time. Eventually, I begin to see the familiar colors of dawn. The sky is almost a blue-grey color now.

"The sun is rising, Katniss." I whisper in her ear.

She opens her eyes to look at it before cocking her head to the horn in concentration. She must be listening for Cato.

"I think he's closer now. Katniss, can you shoot him?" At this point in time, it will be considered mercy killing. The audience must have enough entertainment by now.

"My last arrow's in your tourniquet."

_Ah. So that's why she didn't do it sooner. _"Make it count." I tell her firmly. I'm almost certain that if we don't do this now, we may have to stay here in the the arena for another day or so. And I don't think that my leg can take that anymore.

Katniss slowly gets up and frees the arrow in my leg before crawling to the edge of the horn where we know Cato is. I grip her body to support her, to keep her from falling. I watch as she positions her aim carefully, then the arrow is released from the bow. She crawls back beside me.

"Did you get him?"

She didn't have to answer as we hear the cannon - the last one for this Game - fire, signalling the death of our last competitor. We did it, but I barely feel the joy. There's too much pain clouding it.

"Then we won, Katniss."

"Hurray for us," She whispers back, with absolutely no life in her tone.

The mutts disappear through a hole in the plain as soon as Cato's cannon is fired. I wait anxiously for the announcement of our victory.

Nothing.

"Hey! What's going on!" Katniss shouts.

I try to think logically. Then I remember: dead tributes are only taken by the hovercraft once the other tributes are already away from it. "Maybe it's the body. Maybe we have to move away from it."

"Okay. Think you could make it to the lake?"

"Think I better try." I respond. There's really no other choice.

I breathed deeply as we crawled to the edge before sliding downwards. It hurt, but I made it down. I stay on the ground, though, because my whole body feels numb from my injury and from the cold. Katniss helps me up, and we make it back to the lake where Katniss makes me hydrate myself.

The hovercraft came, the sight of it almost making me want to cry. This is it, it's almost official. We survived. We won. I made the impossible, possible... with a great help from Katniss, of course.

I look at her as we wait for the announcement, but after a short while I realize that something is wrong. The announcement _always _comes soon after. _So what are they waiting for? _

Unless... I can't even begin to think of it.

"What are they waiting for?" I ask Katniss weakly. My health is deteriorating rapidly.

"I don't know." She answers me, bewildered. She begins to look around the area, looking for something. I didn't bother to ask what.

"Greetings to the final contestants of the 74th Hunger Games." Claudius Templesmith's voice boomed in the background. _Finally!_ "The earlier revision has been revoked."

_What? _

"Closer examination of the rule book has disclosed that only one winner may be allowed. Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor."

_Fucked up - _that's the first thing that came to my mind. It was the plan all along. Give the tributes some hope, make them fight harder for a better show. And it worked.

They never intended to have both of us alive. I feel so betrayed - they will never stop playing with us. At the same time, I feel stupid for believing it at first. Because how can I not question the Capitol's intentions, when they've lived excitedly at the idea of watching people from the districts kill each other? The audience will be beside themselves now, watching the star-crossed lovers from District 12 react to this recent announcement. I can almost sense what they're all thinking: who will attack first? Or, who will give up their life for the other?

There is no happy ending for me. For us. It was doomed from the very start. I can only be thankful that I had a brief moment of happiness with her, though. At least I'll carry with me some happy moments with the love of my life before I die. I can honestly say that I've been happy.

There is no moment of doubt in my head, however. I have accepted my death from the very beginning, back to the time when my name has been called at the reaping. My game plan has been clear from the very start. Fight, try to survive, protect Katniss. Make sure she goes home.

The plan doesn't change now._  
_

"If you think about it, it's not that surprising." I tell her softly as we stare at each other. I slowly try to get on my feet, feeling the knife in my belt. I begin walking towards her, dropping the knife as I go to show that I don't intend to fight. I intend to give my life to her, offer it even.

Katniss's eyes look panicked as she watch me do this, and she reacted instinctively. She must not have seen me drop the knife. The arrow that she picked up - the one that bounced off Cato's body armor - is now loaded in her bow, and she is pointing it directly at me. I raise my eyebrows at her. _Did she really think that I'll attack her? _She must not have realized the depth of my feelings for her then.

Her weapons dropped on the ground immediately as she saw my empty hands and realized my real intentions. Her face turned beet red.

"No. Do it." I insist.

She kept standing there, doing nothing. So I begin limping towards her, pick up the bow and arrow, and force her to hold it again.

"I can't. I won't." She says, a pained tone in her voice.

"Do it. Before they send they mutts back or something. I don't want to die like Cato."

"Then you shoot me." She retorts angrily, giving me her weapons. "You shoot me and go home and live with it!"

"You know I can't."

I wait for her to make a move, but she's being very stubborn about this. She remains standing there, looking at me furiously.

"Fine. I'll go first anyway." I say, bending down to unwrap the bandage on my leg. I'm dying, and if she refuses to shoot me, I can have this staring contest with her and wait for my death.

"No! You can't kill yourself!" Katniss replies frantically, moving towards me and wrapping the bandage again. It barely helps, I know. I'll still die from excessive bleeding. I've already lost too much blood at this point. But I can't bear seeing her distressed like this.

"Katniss. It's what I want."

"You're not leaving me here alone."

I sigh. She won't give up. "Listen. We both know they have to have a victor. It can only be one of us. Please, take it. For me."

My words seem to have an effect on her. Katniss's eyes glazed in understanding, and before I know it, she's fiddling with something in her belt. The leather pouch.

Realization hit me. "No, I won't let you." I say firmly, gripping her wrists hard to prevent her from doing it.

"Trust me."

I stare into her eyes for a while before I release her wrists. I trust her, I really do. _Doesn't she really want to win? Why would she prefer to die here with me than to go back to her family?_

She evenly divides the berries and pours the other half into my palm, keeping the other half for herself. "On the count of three?"

I look into her eyes once more and lean down to kiss her for the last time. Her eyes momentarily close as our lips touch each other. "The count of three."

We stand back-to-back, our empty hands interlocked. I know what the Capitol audience is seeing: two people, madly in love with each other, given the false hope that they can both win. But with the revision revoked, we are faced with the decision of living without the other. And we can't, we just can't.

_I wonder how they're reacting at this turn of events? Surely, the Gamemakers did not anticipate this. _

"Hold them out. I want everyone to see." I tell her. In my head, I'm shouting '_this is what you made us do. This is what you're forcing us into._'

I feel Katniss squeeze my hand before we begin counting.

"One."

"Two."

"Three."

I slowly lift the berries to my mouth, and I was about to swallow it when Claudies Templesmith's voice interrupted us.

"Stop! Stop!"

My hands freeze. _What is happening? _

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to present the victors of the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark! I give you - the tributes of District 12!"

I stare at the skies, astonished. And then I grasped what just happened.

I failed to save Katniss. She did. She saved us both.

* * *

_Author's note:_

_Hello IHeartSam, thank you for pointing that out. I will try to improve that one in the remaining chapters and in the next stories to come. :) _

_Hello also to xianiadramionne, Angie22Star, The one who writes the ones, and Owl 123.  
_

___The story is almost done! Please please please review! Thank you so much. _


	23. Reunion

**CHAPTER 23**

**REUNION**

* * *

I was dumbfounded for another few seconds after Claudius Templesmith made his announcement. Who knew that my fate would be as good as this? _We did it, we won! _We had come close - so close - to eating the nightlock and committing suicide. Of course, Katniss, being the quick thinker that she is, had been one step ahead of the Games again. I feel slightly ashamed that it had been the other way around again instead of me saving her, but I'm not complaining. I know that I will be spending the rest of my life thanking her for this anyway, by loving her with all my heart and putting her life and needs before mine. If she will let me, that is. _But we had grown close at the Games, right? _My mind shouted. _And we kissed... many times. That would definitely mean something, right? _My heart fluttered at the mere thought, but I held myself, knowing that we should be preparing to get to the hovercraft now.

I look at Katniss who is wiping the tip of her tongue with the end of her shirt. I quickly throw the berries away from me, revolted at the sight of it. I can only be so thankful that I wasn't able to swallow one yet. I gently grip her arms and guide her to the lake to gargle. We can never be too sure.

"You didn't swallow any?" She asks me as she throws her own berries away.

I shake my head in response. "You?"

"Guess I'd be dead by now if I did."

"You're right. It's a good thing the announcement came at the right time, before it became too late." I answer as I hear the shouts from the Capitol that the speakers are sending. I marveled again at our success, feeling slightly pleased with myself that I'm still alive, even though a lot of it is due to Katniss's help. Without her, I'd be rotting already.

* * *

We didn't have to wait long as the hovercraft appeared a few seconds later with two ladders. It came just in time because I'm not sure how long I can still manage to stay up with this blood gushing from my leg. Despite the happiness and excitement from our victory, I can't help but feel the tiredness and I can't escape the fact that I've lost too much blood already. _Hold on, _I instruct myself, not allowing my consciousness to slip away. _Just a few minutes more. _

Katniss's hand snakes its way around my arm. She seems to notice that my strength has totally slipped away, and she almost carried me to the ladder, while I tried my best to drag my body with her. I've been too much of a burden already, and I can't help but wonder if Katniss thinks she's better off if she didn't come to find me. I didn't worry about holding on to the ladder with all my strength gone because I know that it will freeze me in place as soon as I come into contact with it. When we reach it, Katniss helps me to settle on one of the steps before fitting herself on the space beside me, much to my surprise. I keep my eyes locked on her as I feel myself slipping away while we are lurched upward, but she is staring at something below so I didn't get a full view of her face.

_Thank you, Katniss. _I thought to myself. I don't even have the capacity to speak now. _I love you._

* * *

_Floating. _That's what I felt like after being submerged time and time again into deep waters, hurting my chest, my nose, my arms... everything. My fingers twitched, and before I open my eyes, I wondered if I am still in the arena. I get the feeling that I've just risen from the dead when I slowly open my eyes and feel lightheaded. It seems like I've been asleep for a long time as I take in my surroundings. _How long have I been out? _I wondered. _And where's Katniss? _I whip my head from side to side, hoping to find her lying in a bed next to mine. But to my disappointment, there's nothing but the white walls to accompany me.

My foggy mind slowly becomes clearer. The mutts. Cato. Revoked rule change. The berries. And finally, winning. The last I really remember is getting on the ladder... after that, everything's just pitch black.

I start getting up so that I can look for her, but I'm immediately restricted by the tubes attached to my body. I frowned as I lay back down in defeat, knowing that there's no way for me to leave right now. The doctors might not be too pleased if I remove the tubes myself, and I wouldn't want to give them a reason to restrict me further. _Is my condition that bad?_

While I was pondering this, the door suddenly bursts open. I look expectantly at it, partly hoping that Katniss will come in, but of course I know that it's close to impossible. She may be trapped like I am in another room as they fix her injuries. The red-haired avox entered the room without looking at me. She places the tray of food that she's holding on my bedside table. I know I'm not supposed to talk to her except to give orders, but I just can't help myself. If she's serving us here, then there's a high chance that she knows how Katniss is doing, right?

"Have you seen Katniss?" I ask her in a low voice.

The avox merely nodded her head as she fixed something on the tube attached to me. "Is she okay?" I continued. Another nod. "Thanks." I whisper, grateful that she at least did not ignore me. The girl left the room, and I once again left alone to deal with my thoughts.

Those last few hours in the arena are as dreadful as they can be. I have no doubts that ours is probably the most horrifying and dramatic of all the games. Horrifying, because we have to endure listening to Cato's screams and pleas for hours as the mutts worked their way on his body. I'm almost sure that those mutts were designed for him - the body armor that the Capitol provided for him at the feast added to the "thrill" for the audience. And of course, it's dramatic. Surely, the audience had gone crazy when they heard the revoked rule change, and watching the two of us in our moments at the cave then learning that we are forced to kill each other in the end had provided so much excitement for the crowd. If the mutts were designed for Cato, then the rule change was definitely made for Katniss and I.

I can say that I've escaped death narrowly. The blood coming out of my leg in those last few hours drained the strength out of me, and I know that I barely made it out alive. If we stayed inside the arena for a second longer, I would surely be dead by now. Now that my injury has come to the forefront of my mind, I decide to take a peek at it. At the Cornucopia, I saw a gaping hole on my leg caused by the mutt's teeth. I try to sit up higher so that I can inspect it carefully, slowly removing the sheets covering my body. I froze in place when I saw it.

* * *

There it is. What used to be my flesh has been replaced by a metal-and-plastic device. I stare at it for a long time, trying to decide how I feel about it. Of course, I've considered that this could happen to me. And I know that my bionic leg is a lot better than dying in there.

The door opens again, this time revealing a male doctor. He's working for the Capitol, so I can't help the look of surprise that crossed my face when I take in his "normal" style. He smiles warmly at me when he sees me inspecting my leg.

"So you've seen your new leg already." He says, gesturing to it as he came to the side of my bed.

"Yes." I reply, not knowing what else to add.

"It takes some getting used to, but you will be subjected to treatment sessions before the interview so you'll be fine by that time."

"When will the interview be?"

"A few days from now. Don't worry, we have more than enough time to prepare you."

"Can I see Katniss?"

"I don't think so."

I frowned. "Why not?"

"Orders." He says. "I'm sorry, Mr. Mellark. I really have no say on that."

I nodded, not wanting to be rude to him.

"You have to eat so that you'll regain some of your weight." He says, pushing the tray of food towards me. "I'll return later on to train you on your leg."

"Thanks." I muttered as I watch him walk out.

_A few days_, I tell myself. It will take me another few days to see her again. _Where is Haymitch? _Maybe I can request him to make me see her, even for just a little while. I sigh, turning to my plate of food and eating it slowly. It was like when I was camouflaged in the lake; I don't feel hungry at all.

_Patience. This will all be over soon._

* * *

The following days are spent on practicing with my new leg. It felt weird at first, and I was wobbly on my feet, limping so badly as I struggled to get it right. It's odd not to feel anything when I push it on the ground, and I think that's what made walking in it difficult. Eventually though, I got used to it, and slowly, my limp became less noticeable. However, I am still forced to use a cane as my body has not yet regained its strength and I'll need it to keep steady.

I counted the days as it came and went. By the end of the sixth day, I am absolutely longing to see Katniss. I didn't try to escape the room, thinking that being good will help me get a positive answer when I request to see her before the interview. It just proved to be another disappointment, however. All my requests were denied.

"Peeta!" A high-pitched voice thrilled in the doorway. I look at her direction, smiling.

"Effie." I walk towards her, enveloping her in a hug. "Good to see you."

"Oh Peeta. I'm so happy for you and Katniss! The two of you look absolutely great together, everyone in Panem can't help but to fall in love! Both of you did really good in the arena. I knew you had it in you! I'm so sorry about your leg though. I heard what the doctors had to do, but it was necessary. Your life is more important!"

"Thank you Effie. I know, I'm so thankful that I'm still alive. I'm slowly getting used to this new leg, anyway." I reply, smiling broadly at her remarks. Another figure comes inside. "Haymitch."

He smiled warmly at me, clapping me at the back as he approached. "Great job, Peeta."

"Thanks."

"You really should get going. Your prep team needs to prepare you now for your interview. We'll see you later." Without another word, Effie and Haymitch leaves.

When we first got here in the Capitol, I've had a growing sense of discomfort at the "prep" sessions. I found it unnecessary, but I dealt with it without complaining. I grew fond of the team, actually, especially to Portia who had always been kind to me.

Right now, the activity I used to dread sends excitement to my veins. For one, I'll see the team - my friends - again. But more importantly, being prepped up means that the interview is only hours away. Which, in turn, means that I'm only hours away from seeing and being with Katniss again. Time needs to fast forward now.

* * *

The prep team had been very lively when they went to my room. I listened to their usual babble until Portia came in.

"Portia!" I exclaimed, getting up on my feet and walking towards her. I haven't been used to it that much for me to move at a faster pace.

"Peeta." She says with a huge grin on her face. "I knew you'll make it."

I laugh at her statement. "Yes, well, thank you for believing in me."

"So, are you ready to see Katniss?" She asks as she helps me put on my clothes - yellow shirt and black pants.

"More than ready. I've been waiting for this day since I woke up." I answer. "Yellow?"

She merely smiles at me. "Of course, you have to match."

I return her smile fondly. If there's anything I genuinely like in the Capitol, that will be Portia and my prep team. "I see."

After a short while, I am whisked away from the room and someone guides me into the waiting area under the stage. I'm the only person around, which means they really intend to do our reunion in front of the whole Panem to see. I sigh, hating how public they're making everything. More than anything, I'd really love for Katniss and I to have some alone time, away from the prying eyes of the Capitol and Districts.

I hear loud cheers from above, signifying that the program has started. The names of mine and Katniss's prep team are called out, followed by Effie, Portia, Cinna, and Haymitch.

"...Now, I know how excited you really are to see them. For the first time in history, the two victors of the Hunger Games!" Screams of appreciation echoed above. "Ladies and gentlemen, let's all welcome Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, our star-crossed lovers from District 12!"

I inhale deeply. _This is it, _I think as the metal plate pushed me upwards. I hold on tightly to my cane, suddenly afraid of falling or getting off balance when I finally see her. I didn't have time to dwell too much on it as my eyes are immediately blinded by the bright lights of the stage. The crowd roared louder - they seemed as excited as I am about this reunion. But of course, they don't feel the same way that I do. To them, it's just like seeing their favorite toy, whereas I will be seeing the love of my life. _  
_

As soon as the metal plate came to a stop, I quickly look around for Katniss. I see her a few steps to my left, and a huge smile breaks across my face. She looks so well, so beautiful. Before I have time to react, she hastily runs toward me and locks her arms on my neck. As she collides to my body, I briefly lost my balance, so I held tightly to my cane and settled myself while I hold tightly to her. Katniss's body seems to shake a bit, and when I stare into her grey eyes, our lips found their way to each other.

This kiss means so much more than the ones in the arena. It's full of hunger and passion - a result of being kept away from each other for so long. I feel myself needing her more than usual; and I know right at this moment that there's no way I'm ever going to let her go. Not now, when she's already in my arms. Everything just seemed to disappear in an instant - my ear blocked out all sounds that the audience is making, and my eyes can only see her. There's just the two of us, Katniss and I, in this (ideally) private moment, and no one can take it away from us.

We continue to be locked in our embrace, kissing fervently. I can never get enough of her, so as our lips part and we've taken deep breaths, our lips immediately find its way back to each other. _I can stay this way forever, _I smile in contentment as she leaned in for more. I'm ecstatic to find out that she looked forward to this reunion as much as I did. I feel a light tapping on my shoulder, but I ignore it and shove it away, not caring who it is. Our reunion is far from over. They've stopped us way too long - they can't stop us now.

"Okay lovers, that's enough for now. You can always do it again later," Haymitch says loudly, forcing us apart by stepping in between us. I feel slightly annoyed at his interference, but when I suddenly remember where we are, I restrain myself and settle on looking at Katniss lovingly and holding her hand. We are directed to sit at the victor's chair, and as the crowd is still as loud as we came in, I can tell that they truly enjoyed our reunion. Once we are settled on the seat, I feel Katniss's head on my shoulder, and my arm goes around her automatically. I feel better than I have been in days now that she's here beside me.

"That was... quite a reunion. I couldn't break you two apart!" Caesar begins jokingly.

I blush at his comment. "I'm sorry Caesar, I didn't know it was you. We're really just very glad to see each other again."

"Don't worry Peeta, we totally understand, don't we folks?" He replies, addressing the crowd. They all cheered in response. "See? By the way, thank you to your good mentor, Haymitch Abernathy, for allowing us to get this show started. I almost thought that we need to reschedule this interview to give you two more time in each other's presence."

Katniss and I laugh at his comment. She doesn't say anything, but I can see the blush that has colored her cheeks as she snuggled beside me. I wrap her more tightly in my arm, enjoying the warmth she brings. She looks at me with a smile in response.

"Okay, I'm sure you know exactly what happened at the arena, but for the sake of everyone - and for you two to see what happened to everyone else - let's all watch this quick recap." On cue, the lights dim and the video starts.

I can feel Katniss shiver lightly beside me as the video began. I know exactly how she feels; I myself don't want to watch the other tributes die, knowing that I had come in contact with all of them. We stare at each other in an attempt to ignore the footage before us, which shows the pre-Game events. We didn't have to speak to understand each other; it's difficult to watch those things knowing that 22 of them are already dead. My free hand reached out to cover both of hers. It then jumps to the initial bloodbath in the arena, and Katniss stiffens once again. We both know how dreadful that first day was... and the whole experience in general. _We'll deal with this hurdle together, _I tell her silently.

The camera now zooms in on me and Cato. Katniss watches it with an interested look on her face. I'm certain that she's very curious about that alliance, and sure enough, she concentrated on the video every time it shows clips of me with the Careers. I alternate between watching her reaction at the alliance and watching the video again every time it shows her. I'm also curious about what happened to her before we found her in that tree.

I watch intently as the video comes to Rue's death, which almost brought tears to my eyes. I look at Katniss, who is now staring at the video with a blank expression. I can easily tell that she cared for Rue so much, and I am once again dazed as I hear her sing. The pain in her voice is evident. I squeezed her hands briefly as my way of showing her that I'm proud of her. She did what she can to protect the little girl.

The following minutes focused on our time at the cave, and since I was there myself, my attention began to drift off again. It came back, however, when Katniss drugged me. This is my chance to know how she got that cut, and to finally clear my confusion at what really happened at the Cornucopia during the feast. I watch as she prepared to go - concealing the entrance of our cave and making sure that I get everything that I would need close to me. And that goodbye kiss that she gave me. I see how much effort she put into that feast just so I can get better, and I feel my heart soar once again.

"Thank you," I whisper in her ear. I get a peck on the cheek in reply.

I grit my teeth together when it came to the part where Clove pinned her on the ground, boasting about her plans of hurting Katniss. I wince as I see the knife slice Katniss's lip, and surprise flooded me as I witness a towering Thresh pick up Clove easily and snap her head without a second thought. They also recapped Katniss and Thresh's conversation. The cameras never leave Katniss as she hurriedly made her way back to our cave an she injected the medicine on my arm before collapsing. I hear the audience react with an audible "awww" as the seen unraveled.

"You really didn't have to do that." I whisper to Katniss again.

"I know. But I wanted to. I can't stand the thought of losing you." She whispered back, wrapping her arms around me. I kiss the top of her head, feeling more guilty now that I've witnessed it. She really did so much for me.

I wanted to see more of how Thresh died, but the video is focusing on our love story so the only thing I get to see is how Cato sneaked up on him and slit his throat with a sword. Thresh had been smart enough to throw away the content of his pack before Cato can grab hold of it, but we never got to see what it really is.

"Hush!" I hear from the audience as the finale came. It's our moment with the berries, then I realize what gave Katniss that idea. It was actually me, when I said "they need to have a victor." The entire video finally ended when we got to the hovercraft, with Katniss's tear-streaked face pounding on the glass door, screaming my name wildly as I lay there unconscious with a horde of doctors around me.

That clip of Katniss lasted for only a few seconds, but it was enough to make my heart thump wildly in my chest and have a huge grin plastered across my face. I can't shake the happiness away, and I don't want to even if I may look crazy. _Katniss truly cares for me, _I think joyfully. And at this moment, I feel like the happiest man alive.

* * *

_Author's note:_

_We are own to our last two or three chapters! So please please please keep the comments coming! _

_xianiadramionne, you're welcome, I hope you enjoy the chapter! _

_Angie22Star,__ yes I will be writing Peeta's POV in those two books as well! I hope you'll still be with me as I write those two! _

_As an additional note, I wrote a new story called Lost Memories. You can see it in this link: s/10042836/1/Lost-Memories. _

_I recently decided to write two stories at once - Lost Memories is actually an original story, but it still stays true to the entire idea of the trilogy. Don't worry, I'll still write Catching Fire as soon as I finish the chapters for the Hunger Games. I just created a whole new story, so I hope you give it a try. I came up with the idea a few days ago and I wanted to see how it will come out. Please read and review! Comments are very much appreciated. _

_Thank you! _

_XX_


End file.
